Elisabeth: a Modern Love Story
by xoxoMandieRosexoxo
Summary: The classic tale of Death falling tragically in love with the beautiful Elisabeth of Bavaria comes to the 21st Century. As a young girl, Sisi comes face to face with the God of Death, resulting in a timeless and tragic love that'll last for all eternity.
1. Prologue: Geneva

NOTE: Hiya!! I'm sure those of you waiting for me to finish "Love is a Battlefield" are cursing me out right now. I'll finish it!...... eventually… But I have been lucky enough to discover the amazingness of "Elisabeth" and felt the need to write a fanfic (this story is already completed since I wrote it for a group of my friends on face~book so it isn't taking time away from my other stories). Please realize that I have not seen the entire show and what I have seen has been in a language I do not speak fluently so please do not crucify me if I change something or get something wrong!! Also, I am basing my Der Tod/ Death off of Máté Kamarás and his performance in the 2005 Vienna Revival. ENJOY!!

Prologue

Geneva Police Station

The young Luigi squinted his charcoal eyes as the detective shown a blinding white light into his eyes. He knew very well why he was here and he had no intentions of lying. He was not ashamed of what he had done to the Austrian President's bride, he was simply following orders.

"Alright," the officer said, putting his hands on his waist, revealing a foreboding gun under his jacket. "I'm gonna ask you one last time. Why did you assassinate the President's wife? You couldn't have done this all on your own. Whose orders are you under?"

Luigi's shoulders began to shake as he laughed in a mocking tone.

"How many times do I have to tell you the same thing?" his voice was rough, with a heavy Italian accent. He had a reputation of being against his own countries government. Could he have brought his anarchist ways with him into Switzerland? "How long have I been here?" He mockingly looked at an invisible watch on his left wrist.

"Cut the crap kid," the officer spat. "You just shot the Austria's President's wife. I don't know where you're from, but around here that's considered high treason, punished with nothing less than death."

Luigi swallowed and took a deep breath.

"I'll tell you… she wanted it."

The man on the other side of the light burst into peals of laughter, "She wanted it? And how do you know this, you punk? Did she personally ask you to do it?"

"No," Luigi said calmly. "But someone who knew her extremely well did."

"Oh really?" the cop said, while chomping on his peppermint gum. "Who?"

Luigi smiled a coy smile. "Der Tod." He said the word with such respect and awe one could not help but believe him for but a minute.

"Der Tod? Isn't that German for death?"

But the prisoner was not looking at his questioner. His eyes had wandered to a dark corner behind the officer. The man looked quickly over his shoulder to see what the boy was starring at so intently in the dark corner behind him.

"He's here, you know," Luigi said as the man returned his gaze to the murderer.

"There's no one there," he said with a confused look on his face. "You gonna pretend to be insane now? That won't make the punishment any less harsh, you know."

The room suddenly got darker, as if the air had been replaced with jet black ink. The officer looked around him to see what had caused the sudden change. When he looked behind him, he froze in fear. Before him stood a hauntingly, beautiful young blond man.

"I present to you, his Majesty," Luigi said in a knowing tone, "Death."

The young man, looking like a heavenly angel among the darkness, came toward the light. His face was breathtaking, not a hair was out of place. It seemed as if God himself had molded and sculpted his face. He was dressed all in white. Everything was warm and inviting about him; all except his eyes. They were as blue as ice and just as cold. They seemed to pierce through to your very soul and find your deepest, darkest secrets that even you didn't know of.

"Why do you continue this meaningless talk?" the young man said in a musical, sing- song voice. "It's stirring up so many memories that are painful for me to remember." He said closing his eyes and waving his hand as if trying to wipe away whatever images the conversation had made appear in his mind's eye. He stopped just outside of the light's domain, remaining safe in the dark. "I never understood why it was called Love by you mortals. It's so painful, especially for someone like me. My duty to Fate and Destruction has always left me cold and unattached. That is, until she appeared…"

The officer stared at the man in horror- struck awe. Unable to move, as if he had been held hostage by some unseen force, too powerful to combat. The beautiful man turned his icy gaze from the boy in handcuffs to the man of authority, frozen by fear. With a smile that was filled with years of sadness he said softly:

"Oh yes. I, Death, have felt Love." He looked away from the officer's terrified eyes and walked slowly to stand behind the young Italian. "That was my one mistake."

"You see," the boy sneered at the officer. "It was all for love. Una grande amore!"

The boy burst into psychotic peals of laughter. Deafening peals of laughter.

Death slowly stepped away from the mad child and walked slowly back into the darkness. His gripped the bridge of his nose, as if he was in pain.

"Oh," he closed his eyes and sighed, such a pained sigh. "Elisabeth…"


	2. Munich, 35 Years Prior

**So happy to get reviews! I'm easily pleased with these sorts of things.... The beginning of this is sort of background but it's necessary so stay with me in order to get to the yummy stuff!! ^_^ Also- "Sisi" is Elisabeth's pet name given to her by her friends and family.... I hope you enjoy it! Please Read & Review it'll make me upload them MUCH faster!! Alrighty- on with the story!!!!!**

Chapter 1

Munich, 35 years prior

"Sisi, will you sit down so I can finish?"

The bouncing, rambunctious ten years old ran over from the window, away from the beautiful day just beyond its panes. It was a beautiful May morning. The perfect day when one could just simply lie down in a field of soft, green grass and gaze into the blue heavens and allow the sun's warming rays to dance across their cheeks. Listen to the wind through the blades of grass. Ride your bike through the park. Climb a tree and peer off into the horizon. Not a day to done a pretty white dress with frills and lace. Not a day to wear ribbons in your hair or stockings. And certainly not a day to go to a church picnic.

"Mom," the child asked in a disgruntled voice, leaning against the vanity that came up to her chin. "Do I have to go?" As she spoke her chin bounced against the cherry wood and her chocolate curls atop her head danced around her porcelain face.

"Sisi," her mother sighed, holding out a light blue silk sash. "You know we already discussed this."

The little girl stood before her mother and held her arms out to her sides. As her mother tied the sash around her tiny waist she exclaimed in a hopeful attempt:

"But Daddy isn't going!"

"Your father has to go away on business, Sisi," she answered as she finished tying the sash into a bow. "If he didn't have to leave, he would be going to the picnic as well. It's only going to be for a few hours, I'm sure you will have fun."

Once free of her mother's grasp, the ten year old bounced away out the room, down the hall to the foyer. There, Maximilian, Elisabeth's doting father stood surrounded by suitcases. He was talking on the household's phone, waiting for his taxi to arrive. As he heard the sound of footsteps coming down the grand staircase, he glanced up. His old, weathered face brightened at the sight of his little girl. While she looked like a doll in a pretty Sunday dress, all clean and polished, he couldn't help but laugh. Poor Sisi! This look did not suit her. She was much more comfortable in a pair of shorts, bare feet, hair pulled in a ponytail, and dirt on her knees.

"Daddy!"

Hearing his little girl's voice, brought Max back to reality. Elisabeth stood at the foot of the stairs, her arms crossed. She looked like a little woman.

"Do I have to go?" she asked as her stance went from a strong young lady to a slumped, defeated child- like one as she walked over to her father and hugged him around his waist. Her arms were much too short to be able to clasp her hands, so she simply held onto his shirt.

"Oh, Sisi," Max sighed. "You'll have a great time!"

She simply looked at her father. They both knew how wrong that idea was. Neither ever wanted to go anywhere near church gatherings. However, when the occasion arose, they were always there to entertain one another—but this was the first time Sisi would have to fend for herself against the kisses from the old women, the bad jokes from the men, and the snotty little girls.

"But can't I go with you?"

Max sighed. He could refuse his little princess nothing. But he couldn't take a ten year old girl to France on a business trip.

"You know, your mother won't like it."

"I want to travel the world, just like you daddy!"

Max laughed whole- heartedly. "Oh you will someday Sisi! You're young! You have your whole life in front of you!"

But what Max didn't know, was that his little girl was about to have her life cut very short…..

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Time had seemed to slow down at a painfully slow speed. Elisabeth was stuck sitting next to her sister, Helen, at a mock tea party with two other girls from their congregation. They were chatting away about this boy and that girl's Sunday dress. Looking over her shoulder, Elisabeth noticed three boys playing baseball.

Jumping up in glee, she ran over to join in their game. Elisabeth was respected among the boys for having a good arm. They willingly allowed her to join in on their game.

They played for only a few minutes when one of the boys released the ball too soon, and, as a result, it went flying off in the wrong direction.

"I'll get it!" Elisabeth cried. No one argued seeing that it was a well known fact that she was the fastest in the group.

She had seen where the ball had landed- in the field just beyond the street. Without thinking twice, Elisabeth darted across the road, her eyes on the little white speck in the middle of the sea of green. She heard the car horn and screeching tires too late.

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Elisabeth's body was writhing in pain and felt hot and heavy- as if a pile of red hot coals had been dumped all over her small form. She gave a pained moan and could not seem to open her eyes. The heat was growing unbearable. At the moment when she thought she could no longer handle the agony, a cooling sensation flowed throughout her body. She felt strong, cool arms supporting her from underneath her frail body. She could feel the paces of footsteps and a man breathing lightly. And within his breathing, she could swear that she heard him softly singing her name.

"Elisabeth….."

At that moment, Elisabeth's eyes fluttered open. For a moment, she could only see the darkness. After a moment, the scene began to unfold before her blurry eyes. A beautiful young man was leaning over her as she was lying in her bed. He was brushing a lock of hair away from her face and had not realized that she had awakened. His lips were mere inches away from hers and if she hadn't known any better, she would've believed him to be on the verge of kissing her. Sensing her eyes on him, the beautiful man turned his blue eyes to meet hers. He stared deep into her eyes for but a moment, sighed, and kissed her on her forehead.

"Wait!" Elisabeth whispered, as her Dark Prince was turning to leave her. He was dressed entirely in black- black pants, a black shirt, black boots, a long black coat reaching down to the floor, and a black glove on each hand. He appeared as if he were attending one's funeral. His hair was the color of gold shimmering in the sunlight and fell to just above his shoulders. He had a perfectly upturned nose, and was lean but his shirt revealed that he was also strong- very strong.

The young man stopped and slowly turned to face the little girl, his coat swinging along his ankles. He simply stared at her, waiting.

Elisabeth hadn't expected him to obey her command. Perplexed by this stranger's actions she asked in a quiet, dry voice, "Who are you?"

The god- like man standing before her smiled slightly and responded, "Der Tod."

The little girls eyes widened and her jaw dropped unconsciously. Der Tod… _Death._ She mouthed the word with awe and disbelief. Could she truly be staring into the cold eyes of Death?

Seeing the fear on the girl's face, Death began to turn away once again. He stopped short and looked down. A small, warm hand clung tight and fast to his cold, black gloved hand. His eyes traveled from the small hand to the large eyes of the child on the bed.

"Don't leave," she cried out, tears welling in her big, brown eyes.

Death knelt down beside her bed.

"You're not frightened?"

The little girl shook her head, causing her curls to bounce around.

"Why?" he asked as he moved a curl out from in front of her face. She knew he was Death. All fear Death… all but this little girl.

"I feel safe with you."

Death raised his eyebrows at this remark. He had never heard anyone say that they felt safe with him around.

"And…" Elisabeth began in a shy, meek voice.

"Yes?" he asked. His voice sounding truly like a Prince's. He stared into her face, waiting to hear her soprano voice once again.

"I just don't want to be alone," she whispered, her voice trembling. Death knew that she must have realized that she had been mere moments from Death.

"And," the little girl continued, avoiding her Prince's eyes. "I like you."

Death looked at Elisabeth for a moment, put his hand under her chin, making her look into his icy stare, and said, "I will never leave you, Elisabeth. Never."

And with that, he faded along with the darkness as Elisabeth's mother, sisters, family, and friends came rushing into the room. Elisabeth thought that she must have been dreaming of her Dark Prince. But if so, why was the place where his hand had been resting on her chin deathly cold?

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	3. The Dark Prince

**See how quick I'm getting these out?? It pays to have written the entire thing already-- I should apologize to those of you reading/ waiting (rather impatiently I'm sure) for me to finish my FullMetal Alchemist fic "Love is a Battlefield." ANYWAY since I love writing about Death so much, I decided to dedicate a chappy solely to him and Sisi. It's a bit of a slow chappy but I felt it necessary to show the relationship Sisi and Death had with one another. I hope you enjoy it!! It's short but reeeeally sweet! Also, you may (or may not) notice that Elisabeth calls Death by his "name"- der Tod- while the narration and everyone else in the tale calls him simply "Death." I wanted to have this difference in the names to make Death an actual being to Elisabeth, much more personal and intimate- der Tod than DEATH. Alrighty- on with the story!!**

Chapter 2

The Dark Prince

It had been months since Elisabeth's first meeting with her Dark Prince. He had kept his word about not leaving her side. Unbeknownst to her, every night he would appear in her room and simply watch her slow breathing form dream. He never made an attempt to reach out and touch her ivory cheeks or brush a lock of hair from her face. He would simply watch and wait for her to call for him. It didn't happen often, but when it did, Death was immediately at her side.

Lost in a terrifying nightmare, she would unconsciously call out to her der Tod. Her eyes tightly shut, lashes brimming with crystal tears. Sweat on her brow, lashing out as if trying to fend off a terrible monster. The first night it happened, Death was unsure as to what he should do. He had never been known to be a comfort to anyone, much less a terrified child. But hearing her fearful cries tore his cold, black heart into pieces. Sitting on the edge of her bed, he reached out his black gloved hands and easily raised her frail form onto his lap. Her small body was tense and trembling in fear. Death began to rock her back and forth, running his hand through her hair and softly singing her name. After that night, he refused to leave her alone with the terrors of the night.

When Elisabeth would be out in the field behind her house, he would be there. Never revealing himself until needed. He would silently watch her roll down a hill, twigs and leaves tangled in her chocolate brown hair, a smile on her face. He would sit by as she climbed the apple tree in the front of her house and watch her as she squinted her eyes to try and see just beyond the horizon. Always watching, never being seen. And falling more and more in love with her as each day passed.

But when she would take a fall and scrape her knee, he would appear. Kneeling before her, he would peer into her eyes, savoring the moment, and lean in and place a small kiss to her wound. The burning cut would ice over as would the wound itself. While Death's Kiss was extremely deadly, it could also do miraculous things when called upon.

When night would come in the middle of the field, beyond the visibility of the house, Elisabeth's Dark Prince would be there to lead her safely home.

Their relationship was an odd one. Seldom did they ever exchange words. Words were never necessary. Their bond was stronger than anything known to man. They seemed to always know what the other was thinking. Death always knew when his princess needed him and Elisabeth always seemed to feel her Prince's presence, no matter how hard he tried to conceal it.

As the years passed, Elisabeth began to need her der Tod less and less, until finally she forgot about her Dark Prince entirely and wrote it off as just a childhood fantasy she had had. What she didn't realize was that her Dark Prince was indeed real. Plotting. Scheming. Waiting. Waiting ever so patiently to reveal himself to his love once again.

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	4. Elisabeth's 18th Birthday

**I have a feeling I will have tomatoes and sharp objects thrown at me by the end of this chapter… You'll know why and if not, well, it means my virtual bones won't be broken ^_~ I promise the next chappy will be nice and long and full of our lovely Death... Thank you to my LOVELY reviewers- you guys have no idea how wonderful it is to hear from you!! On with the chappy!!**

Chapter 3

Elisabeth's 18th Birthday

"So do you know if you're dad is coming home for the party tonight?"

Elisabeth looked up from the pile of textbooks on the library table and stared at her friend, Becky. She paused for a second and then shook her head, causing her curls to fall in front of her face. For once she was thankful for the mass of chocolate colored hair atop her head; Becky was unable to see the pained look on her face.

"What?" Becky cried which received a loud "_Shh_!" from the librarian. "Sorry," she whispered, waving to the old woman behind the desk.

Elisabeth took the opportunity to wipe the pained look off of her face and put on a façade of apathy.

"What do you mean? He isn't coming?" she whispered.

Elisabeth shrugged. "He said he couldn't get away from work. I don't mind, really! I completely understand."

Becky looked at her with skeptical eyes. Elisabeth had not spent quality time with her father in four years. Of course they had talked on the phone and she had gotten cards on her birthday and Christmas, but she hadn't hugged him, seen him, laughed with him for four long years. His job kept him abroad and busy- she understood that… but still…

"But it's your 18th birthday!" Becky cried again.

"Sssh!!"

Becky rolled her green eyes and shouted, "Sorry!"

Twirling her bright red hair around her finger and biting her lip for a moment she decided:

"Let's get out of here," as she began to pack up her trigonometry. "You'll be late for your party."

"Alright," Elisabeth whispered.

The two girls walked out, arms linked.

"Sisi, did your mom invite Joseph?"

"Who?" Elisabeth asked, looking at her friend.

"You know, the President's son? He is so handsome… Hopefully tonight I can make my move! Wouldn't it be fun to be the wife of a successful politician?" she said in an excited voice.

"Is that all you ever think about?" Elisabeth asked as she rolled her eyes. "Besides he's so old!"

"Ssh!" the librarian hissed as the girls walked past.

"Sorry," Becky said in a tone that made it obvious that she did not mean it in the least. "You know, there isn't a sign that says 'No Talking'."

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Elisabeth flopped down on her bed and closed her eyes tight. What a night! She rolled over to look at her alarm clock… 3am. She sighed and rolled onto her back, looking up at the ceiling. He hadn't come. She had hoped against all hope that her father would fly through the doors and walk over to her with a bouquet of daisies and a kiss for her. But the evening had been eventful enough.

The beginning of the party was like any other. She had to be a good hostess and welcome all of her guest and make small talk—even if she had no idea who they were. She didn't have many friends present. Only Becky and three boys from her class. The rest of the guests were all Helen and her mother's friends.

After several hours, she was introduced to her mother's best friend, Sophie's, son. So this was the famous Joseph that everyone was always talking about. He was the President's only son and, at 27 years old, already a successful politician.

"It's a pleasure Sisi," he said as he kissed her smooth hand.

_What is this? The 19__th__ Century? _Elisabeth thought. Apparently, the questioning look reach her face, for the man before her asked in a worried tone:

"May I call you Sisi?"

Quickly, she wiped the look of mockery off her face and in its place, a beautiful smile.

"Of course." He wasn't so bad.

After that, the remainder of the night flew by in a whirl of music and colors. Elisabeth spent all of her time with Joseph. They laughed and joked, danced with one another, and at the end of the evening even shared a small kiss.

"I hope I will be able to see you again," Joseph said as he stared into Elisabeth's brown eyes.

"I hope so, too," Sisi whispered in a trembling voice. Their kiss, however short and simple it had been, had left her breathless- your first kiss will usually do that to you.

"Joseph!" Sophie cried from the door.

"One minute, Mother!" he called over his shoulder. They were the only two left in the large room. All the guests had left and she and Joseph were sitting at a corner table. "I have something for you."

"For me?" Elisabeth asked, surprised. She had already opened all of her gifts.

"Yes," he said softly as he pulled a blue velvet box out of his coat pocket. "I hope you like it."

Elisabeth stared at the man in front of her for a minute with a perplexed look and opened the box. As she opened it, she gasped.

"Oh!"

"Do you like it?" he asked. He knew that Sisi was not one to appreciate the beauty of womanhood and jewelry. But all the same…

"Joseph!" she cried as she looked up. "Thank you so much! I love it!"

"Here, let me help you put it on," he said, excitedly. His shaky hands held up the white gold chain that held a sapphire heart surrounded by multitudes of diamonds. His hands were rough but warm as they brushed against her pale neck. "I hope that whenever you wear it, you will think of me."

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She absent- mindedly ran her hand along the sapphire that lay in the hollow of her throat. The stone felt much heavier now. She had ignored her best friend all night. And for what? A boy? No. A man nine years her senior. And yet, he wasn't just another man. He was a gentleman. He was kind and fun to be with. She enjoyed herself with him. She felt as if a thousand butterflies were buried deep within her body just fighting to break free and fly away. What was this feeling? Could it possibly be love? She had resigned herself to a life alone. And yet, in a chance encounter she had found someone who made her feel complete.

"Oh, Becky…" Elisabeth whispered as she rolled over onto her side, the sapphire falling to the comforter with a light _thud._ "What am I going to say to you tomorrow?"

With a sigh, she got up from her bed and walked over to her cherry wood vanity. She remembered when she wasn't tall enough to even see herself in the mirror. And now? Now she was 18. A woman. A woman ready to take on the World and whatever it might bring her. A woman ready for Love.

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	5. The Last Dance

**PHEW! I had SO much fun writing this chappy but it was so much work! It took me two days and two sleepless nights... der Tod will do that to you! ^__^ But this was one of the scenes I was most looking forward to writing. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. ENJOY!!**

Chapter 4

The Last Dance

Elisabeth and Joseph's years of dating were hurried along by Sophie and Elisabeth's mother. The night of her 18th birthday was the last time they had ever spent candid time together.

Two years had passed in a flash and before she knew it, Elisabeth was staring into a mirror seeing a young woman in a pure white wedding gown staring back at her.

Joseph had proposed to her on her 19th birthday. It hadn't been sweet and unexpected, as his gift and kiss had been the year prior. There was a grand show in front of all of the guests; all the same guests, minus Becky. The day after her 18th birthday was the last time she had spoken to her best friend. At the moment of her engagement, she would've given it all up to just have Becky with her once again.

"Will you do me the honor of being my wife?" Elisabeth stared down at the caramel brown haired man kneeling before her. In his hand was an enormous diamond sparkling in the light casting rainbows all over his face. Although she knew this was going to be a part of the celebrations that night, she still felt the pit of her stomach plummet to the floor. She could feel hundreds of eyes boring into her as they awaited her answer.

"Of course," she answered in a dry, raspy voice. She cleared her throat as he slid the ring onto the third finger of her left hand. It felt as if it held the weight of the world on that single band. Remembering that she was in front of all of her guests, she accepted Joseph's kiss and placed a smile on her beautifully flushed face.

That had been just over a year and a half ago but it seemed like mere moments. Only three years ago, she would've thought she was crazy to even think that she would be here today, about to marry one of the most successful, powerful politicians in all of Europe.

"Oh God," she quietly prayed as she shivered. Had the room gotten colder all of a sudden? _No,_ she thought. _It's just nerves. _She silently lifted the veil over her hair that was braided on top of her head, took a deep breath, and turned. She was ready.

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Though, their time of dating had gone by in a flash, the wedding went by painfully slow. The entire time Elisabeth wondered if she was doing the right thing. She was only 20 years old. She had only completed one year of college before she had to drop out to help plan the wedding. Her mother had told her that, with Joseph, she wouldn't need school! She would be provided for and protected. Wasn't that enough? Elisabeth knew that that wasn't enough. What about love? She loved Joseph. Didn't she? Yes! And love is more important and powerful than anything else in the World. Anything. Love was stronger than War. Hate… Death.

She would be happy. Happy and in love. She didn't need any more than that. She did love Joseph and because of that fact, she would become his wife.

"And do you, Elisabeth, take Joseph to be your lawfully wedded husband. To have and to hold, from this day forward. For better, for worse, for rich, for poor. In sickness and in health, until Death do you part?"

Looking into Joseph's eyes, Elisabeth said in a strong, clear, confident voice, "Yes!"

That one word seemed to echo in the church hall for an eternity. As if thousands of voices were shouting it back to her to show her what she had just done. She stared around her, terrified. They wouldn't stop! They continued to ring in her ears, mocking her… driving her mad. Just when she thought she would scream, it stopped.

"I now pronounce you," the Priest continued. Had no one else heard it? She looked around, confused, at everyone's faces. They all seemed to be unfazed by the deafening echoes the church walls had emanated just moments prior. "Man and wife."

She instantly hid her concern with a dazzling smile as she and her husband turned to face the congregation.

Through the applause and cheers, Elisabeth could swear that she heard someone laughing. Laughing at her.

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Elisabeth instantly forgot the deafening voices and mocking laughter once the wedding reception began. There was singing, dancing, eating, drinking. It was impossible for one not to have a good time. Joseph and Elisabeth danced every dance together. But Joseph would constantly correct his bride while dancing. They needed to make an example, nothing wild or unexpected. Each time she would begin to perform inappropriate moves- a spin here, a dip there- he would stop and whisper, softly and lovingly correcting her. With a giggle, she would fix what she was doing. If she was going to spend the rest of her days with him, she would listen to what he had to say and try to please him. Try to be a good wife.

Time flew by. It was as it had been on the evening of her 18th birthday. All was right in the world and nothing could break her spirit.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen," the band leader announced into a booming microphone. "It's time for the final dance of the evening. So men, grab that special woman because here we go!"

A soft melody began to play and Elisabeth smiled at her husband. He bowed deeply and held his hand out to her.

As Elisabeth reached out to place her hand in his, the lights began to dim. And they did not stop. The room was plunged into darkness and it seemed as if the world itself had come to a halting stop. Elisabeth reached out for her husband's hand, terrified of the dark. Finally she found his hand, and held fast to it. Gloves? She hadn't noticed that Joseph was wearing gloves on his hands that day…

"Elisabeth…" An ever so hauntingly familiar voice sang in her ear.

Elisabeth froze in fear. She knew that voice. She knew it all too well. She had not heard that beautiful voice in years. She wanted nothing more than to wake up, run away, anything to return to the way things had been just a moment before.

She felt a cold hand slide down from her hair to the small of her back. As she tried to pull away, the arm around her waist pulled her in even closer. As her eyes began to focus in the darkness, she saw the face of a ghost from her past.

"You!" she cried out.

Der Tod. She had resigned herself to the belief that her Dark Prince had been something of a childhood fantasy. An imaginary friend created to fill the void the absence of her father had left. A sweet, dark dream too good to be true.

"Der Tod," she whispered, looking at him with terrified eyes. She tried to free herself from his icy grasp, looking about her for help. "But you're not real! This can't be happen-"

She fell silent as Death lifted a single gloved hand and brushed it softly down her face, from furrowed, worried brow to trembling chin, causing Elisabeth to close her eyes. As they fluttered open, there was an eerie glow about the room and a haunting melody began to play within Elisabeth's ears. What's more, she was dancing with Death. By some powerful, unseen force, her petite feet were moving in time with his in a grand waltz and she had no hope in stopping herself. They were slowly getting farther and farther away from Joseph's frozen form being engulfed in the darkness.

Sisi tried with all her might to keep her wide eyes fixed on Joseph, fearing that if she even so much as blinked he would be lost in the darkness forever. How could this be happening? Der Tod wasn't supposed to be here! He wasn't even supposed to have existed! She had created him out of her loneliness. Hadn't she?

"Joseph!" she cried out. Instantly, she was free from the ghost of her Prince's cold grip. The darkness was blacker than night. Sisi was incapable of seeing her own nose much less finding her way back to her husband. "Joseph!" she cried out, hysterically, tears cascading down her flushed cheeks. She was completely lost, spinning in circles, hoping to find some beacon, something to point her in the right direction.

Turning frantically, she spun right into awaiting arms that instantly grasped her trembling shoulders. They were not the warm hands of her Joseph. She snapped her head up only to see two ice blue eyes staring back at her. He smiled a lustful smile at her as Elisabeth felt her body go rigid. He placed his hand on her tiny waist and intertwined his fingers within hers. The haunting tune began to play once again, as Elisabeth lost control of herself and began in their dance once again.

"This is new for me," the beautiful, blond ghost said to her. She could hear the smile in his voice. Continuing, after Elisabeth refused to look at him much less respond to him, he said, "I seem to be in a battle over the love of another man's woman."

Cautiously, Elisabeth raised her eyes to meet her partner. "What?" she asked in a confused whisper, her eyebrows furrowed in disbelief and concern.

"You."

Elisabeth's eyes widened. Death arched his eyebrows and simply stared deep into her eyes, daring her to try and escape his grasp again.

"No," escaped from her lips as she shook her head. How could this be possible? This was a dream. Worse- a nightmare. Her Prince, her Guardian Angel from her childhood had appeared at her wedding. Why? What was the reason behind this? She hadn't so much as thought of him in at least seven years. Why come to her now? And on her wedding day. Then she suddenly remembered…

"You!" she peered back into his icy stare. "It was you! You were the one who was laughing!"

Death just stared down his perfect nose at her, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with her accusation. He simply held her fast and smiled.

"Strange," he paused. "After all we had been through, I attend your wedding as simply a guest? Hardly seems fair, Elisabeth."

Elisabeth, disgusted with what her Dark Prince had become, found the will to push herself away and free herself once again. This time she didn't pause to try and find her bearings- anywhere was fine, as long as it was away from him. The minute she could no longer feel his cool fingers on her skin, she ran. In a blind craze, she willed her legs to run faster than ever before. She didn't hear his footsteps pursuing her, so she allowed herself to peer over her shoulder.

"It's funny, though," his humored voice said, causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end. Elisabeth tried to turn and run the other way but Death's cold grasp found his way around her wrist.

"No," Elisabeth cried out quietly, in a defeated tone as Death swung her limp body back into his awaiting chest. He wrapped his arm tightly around her, making her escape attempts impossible- she was nowhere near strong enough to fight him off.

"Ssh," Death cooed as he pet her hair. "I realized today," he started as he began to sway back and forth with Elisabeth still held tight in his strong, icy grip. "That I have lost to a mortal. You made your choice, and it seems that I have lost," he paused for a moment. Then, after a moment, he began to laugh hysterically, throwing his head back, his golden locks flying through the air. He spun the woman in his arms out in a flashy twirl. As he spun her back, he caught her and stared at her body. He raised his hand and placing it on her throat, he ran it down her body, taking in her scent, her shape, everything about her. How he had longed to touch her, for all these years. "But I know how to win you in the end." He said confidently, looking into Elisabeth's wide eyes.

He smiled a wicked smile that lit up his child-like face. Slowly, still holding her in his arms, he leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Just remember, that you belong to me," he paused for a moment, allowing Elisabeth to absorb what he was saying. "And no matter what, in the end, you will only dance with me."

And with a deafening laugh, he vanished from beside her. Elisabeth closed her eyes as the lights above blinded her. As her eyes fluttered open once again, she realized that everything had returned to as it had been prior to Death's arrival. Nothing seem to have changed. Joseph was standing before her, bowing, waiting for her hand to begin their final dance. Elisabeth paused for a moment, remembering Death's warning: in the end, she would only dance with him. Her mind rushing through what had happened throughout the day- from her doubts, to the ceremony, to the deafening voices, to Death's mocking laughter, to her unexpected reunion with her Dark Prince. Suddenly everything went black. But before she lost all consciousness, Elisabeth could hear a small voice in her mind:

"You belong to me…"


	6. Falling Quickly Out of Love

**So, I hope you enjoyed Ch. 4… I know I did!!!! ^__^ Onto chappy 5!! I surprisingly like this chappy! It's not as long as 4 but still good. It shows Sisi and Joseph's relationship (or lack there of). You also get to know Sophie a bit more (whether that's a good thing or not is debatable) Lemme know what you guys think!**

Chapter 5

Falling Quickly Out of Love

"Elisabeth? Elisabeth!"

She could hear a voice calling out her name and something cold lying on her forehead. In fear that it was Death coming to take her away, her eyes opened and she shot up into a sitting position. Her wide, terrified, blurry eyes slowly focused upon the figure of her husband sitting next to her on the bed.

"Oh," Elisabeth sighed, relieved. "Joseph!" Her entire being overflowed with joy as she threw herself into his arms.

Taken aback by his wife's spontaneous embrace, he slowly wrapped his arms around her tiny waist, feeling her shaking under her thin bath robe. After a moment, Joseph pulled back, holding Elisabeth's face in his large, warm hands.

"Sisi," he whispered to her. "You're as pale as death! You look as if you've seen as ghost!" He looked deeply into her brown, tear filled eyes, trying with all his might to figure out what had his wife so shaken. They had been dancing and laughing merely moments before she collapsed into his arms, thankfully he had caught her before she hit the marble floor.

"Oh, Joseph," Sisi whispered in a small, trembling voice.

"Ssh," he said softly, stroking her pale face. He didn't know what to do to comfort her. She looked too terrified to sleep. "Do you want to tell me what's wrong?"

"No!" she cried out looking into his eyes in a frenzy. How could she possibly tell him that she had danced with Death at their wedding? That he had been a part of her since she was a child? That he claimed to be Joseph's rival… in winning her love? He would surely think she was mad and divorce her or lock her up in a padded cell.

"No, I … I can't," she swallowed, trying to compose herself. "Please don't …" Sisi failed to find the right words. He was obviously concerned for her. He deserved an answer, however ambiguous it may be. "I just met up with a… an old friend, I suppose… I just wasn't expecting to see him…"

"Is that all?" he asked in a relieved tone. "Sisi, it's alright. I'm here- you have nothing to fear."

He ran his fingers through her curly, brown hair down her back. She shied away from his touch, for the motion reminded her too much of the unpleasant events from that evening. He stared at her for a moment, hurt.

"Do you want me to stay with you until you fall asleep?" he asked.

"No," she said, flatly. She laid her head back down on the soft pillow and watched Joseph rise from the bed. "Joseph," she said softly. She had not meant to hurt him. "I'm sorry. I just need time to think."

"It's alright," he said with a reassuring smile as he began to shut the door. "I love you."

As soon as she heard the door click, Elisabeth's eyes overflowed with salty tears. This was not the wedding night she had dreamt of. She and her husband were sleeping in different bedrooms. They were not following the traditional routine on wedding nights. And, worst of all, she was too caught up in the fact that her der Tod was real and back in her life. With that fact in her mind, she was unable to truly think of anything else. It wasn't until hours later, that Elisabeth's mind finally found peace and rest.

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Elisabeth was awoken by the sound of the door swinging open and the window shade flying up. Rubbing her exhausted eyes, she looked around to see what was happening. Standing at the foot of her bed, hands on hips, dressed all in black, scowling, was Sophie, Joseph's ever so pleasant mother.

"Are you just going to sleep the day away, Elisabeth?" she asked in a cold voice.

Elisabeth turned her pounding head slowly over to the clock on the dresser.

"Its 5 o'clock in the morning," she said through a loud yawn.

"I am aware of the time," Sophie said as she ripped the blankets off of Sisi. Cold air penetrated her skin, causing her to shiver. "It's time to get up. Get clean, dressed, and meet me in the office in 40 minutes." And with that, she walked out the door, slamming it behind her.

35 minutes later, Elisabeth was dressed in jeans and a T- shirt and sitting in an uncomfortably wooden chair across from Joseph's mother.

"That's what you're wearing?" she said, through a mocking smile.

"What's wrong with it?"

With a sigh, she grabbed Sisi's wrist and led her to her closet. After several minutes, Elisabeth was dressed in a navy blue dress suit- the only thing proper for a politician's wife to wear, according to Sophie.

The rest of the morning, Elisabeth learned the rules of the house. Sit up straight, only speak when spoken to, always look presentable when guests are visiting, and always be supportive of her husband. The rules went on and on. Elisabeth felt as if she was attending finishing school in the 19th Century. This wasn't who she was! Joseph had fallen in love with her just the way she was—didn't he?

By the end of the day, Elisabeth hadn't seen her husband at all. She was exhausted from the day spent with her mother- in- law and was ready to burst into tears. She had gotten barely any sleep the night before and was being forced to be someone she wasn't- a good housewife and dutiful partner to a politician.

Finally, that night, Elisabeth found her husband in his office. She knocked on the door, remembering one of the rules.

Joseph looked up from some paper work. "Yes?" he asked.

Elisabeth opened the door and smiled at him.

"Sisi!" he said, jumping up from his seat and coming over to place a soft kiss on her cheek. "How was your day?" he asked leading her to a chair in front of his desk.

"Well," she began, unsure if she should continue. Joseph sat opposite her, on a leather chair behind his oak desk. His chair squeaked as his leaned back into it. "I spent the day with your mother."

"Oh yes!" he said with a wide smile. "How did it go?"

"Oh Joseph!" Elisabeth cried. "It was horrible! She talks to me as if I am a child and is just so insulting. She has all these rules and I just can't stand-"

"Joseph…"

Elisabeth froze. She slowly turned, only to see Sophie standing in the door.

"Mother!" Joseph said, jumping up and planting a kiss on her cheek- the same as he had done to Sisi. "Sisi was just telling me about your day together."

"Yes, so I heard." Sophie sent a piercing glare in Elisabeth's direction. "Well she certainly wasn't my first choice, but she will learn… in time. I'm going to bed. I will see you tomorrow." And with that she turned on her heel and walked away.

Elisabeth simply stared after her. Not her first choice? Did she mean what Elisabeth thought she meant? Elisabeth turned around to face her husband who had returned to his place behind his desk.

"Are you kidding me?" she asked blatantly.

"What?" Joseph asked, looking at her, confused.

"What your mother just said to me? You did hear her, right? She just insulted me! And you allowed her to do it! You didn't stand up for me or anything!"

"Now, Sisi-"

"No!" she cried as she stood up. "I was with that woman all day! I did everything she said and she still had the nerve to insult me, and you just stood by and let her!"

"Elisabeth," Joseph said, leaning forward in his chair. "That 'woman' is my mother you are talking about and I want you to respect –"

"Well maybe you should've married her instead of me!" And with that Elisabeth turned and slammed the door behind her.

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Over the next several months, Elisabeth spent everyday with Sophie, learning how to be the proper wife for a politician. Not wishing to be insulted again, Elisabeth did all she could to please her mother- in- law, and yet she always seemed to find a way to fail. Whether it was at dinner parties, public appearances, rallies- Elisabeth found something to forget or mess up. This was not the life she had signed up for. She wanted to run barefoot in a meadow or go swimming in the lake, travel, try new things, fly away- not sit up straight, smile for all of the country to see, stand behind her husband, be lost in his shadow. She was slowly losing the admiration and love she once had for Joseph. He seemed to be more in love with the government and his mother than his own wife.

One day she decided to take a cab out to the countryside and go hiking. Nature was the only one who wouldn't judge her. She trekked for several hours through the forest only to come to the very top of a mountain. She stared down onto the small village that resided at the base of the great natural sky scraper. She sat at the edge of the ravine, her legs dangling over the edge.

"I need to put an end to this," she whispered to herself. "I can't continue to pretend to be something I'm not. They can't treat me as if I'm simply an intricate ornament for his arm. Public appearances seem to be the only reason for him to be around me. He doesn't love me…" She put her face in her hands, trying with all her might, not to cry. She wouldn't waist tears on such pathetic beings as Joseph or Sophie.

She looked down at her dangling feet. It was a long way down. She wondered how long she would fall. It wouldn't be quick and it wouldn't be painless but, at least, she would be free from all the rules.

"It's true. The only way to truly be free is through me…" a cold voice said from behind her.

Elisabeth jumped and quickly crawled away from the edge of the mountain. As she pushed herself up onto two feet, she looked around her.

"Der Tod?" she called out.

Not a sound answered her. Elisabeth shook her head. The wind must have made her hear things. But it sounded so much like…

"No," Elisabeth said, confidently. "No. I won't rely on anyone. Not even you!" she shouted to the empty air around her. "No one owns me or my life, but me! I'll be free only through me."

And with that, she hitched up her backpack and made her way back through the woods, her back turned on the man dressed all in black, watching her walk away.

"So you won't rely on anyone?" he said, a wicked smile placed on his perfect face. "Well," he said as he turned to walk away. "We'll see how long that lasts."

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	7. Rekindle

**CLIFFY!!!! Haha… Hope you guys liked the last chapter. I figured I'd give you guys a break from the heated chapter 4… But enough! Onto chapter 6! It's a nice intense chappy… whether you like it or not!! Technically they never showed this in the show but it had to happen eventually seeings a cute little Rudolph eventually appeared... teehee... I hope you enjoy it! I liked it…… I will admit that while der Tod is my LOVE I do feel really bad for Franz Josef. I mean competing with Death?! I'm not too sure how you can win that one... So in this chapter I try to show more of Joseph than Death.**

**Also THANK YOU to my wonderful reviewers!! You have NO idea how wonderful it is to hear what you guys think! I just adore opening my email and seeing your reviews. So thank you!! It keeps me motivated to continue posting these... I was afraid no one loved Elisabeth anymore!! Alright... now on with Chapter six.... **

Chapter 6

Rekindle

After her day on the mountain, Sisi made it her business to try and make her marriage to Joseph a happy one. She balanced being a good wife in Sophie's eyes as well as what it meant to be true to herself. She made an effort to spend time with her husband- quality time, alone. Joseph, too, was making an effort to see Sisi more and try to be more spontaneous and romantic with her. The night of Sisi's birthday was possibly the happiest day of their marriage.

Elisabeth, exhausted from the day spent with Sophie, was ready to collapse in her bed and sleep the night away. From outside her room she could see a glow under the door. Cautiously, she opened the door. What lay before her was what she always fantasized of in her romantic dreams. The room was lit by hundreds of candles. Rose petals- red, pink, white- were sprinkled on her bed. In the middle of the room was a small table set for two with a candelabra placed in the middle and a single, bright red rose sitting on a plate.

"Happy Birthday, Sisi," Joseph whispered in her ear, placing a loving kiss on her cheek.

"Oh Joseph!" Elisabeth cried as she threw her arms around her husband. "I thought you had forgotten!"

"How could I possibly forget? I met you three years ago, today," he said taking her hand and leading her to the chair that sat before the rose.

The couple, enjoyed a wonderful meal of steamed vegetables, French onion soup covered in a thick layer of cheese, lamb with mint jelly (apparently it was very popular in Britain, according to Joseph), and a beautiful strawberry glace for dessert (Sisi's favorite).

"Joseph," Sisi said softly, as she patted her lips with her cloth napkin. "This was wonderful," she paused. "Thank you."

A smile on his face, Joseph said, "It isn't over yet."

"What?" she asked, intrigued by his mischievous look.

Joseph got up, walked around the table, and stood before his wife. In a swift movement, he picked her up and carried her to the flower laden bed. He lay over her, simply staring at her. He ran his hand through her hair softly humming to himself. Looking into her eyes, he said, his voice cracking:

"Oh, Sisi… I'm so sorry," he pressed his cheek to hers. She could feel that it was wet with tears. "I love you so much and yet I never seem to show you or simply tell you enough. How can you ever forgive me?"

Sisi lifted her hand to his face, quieting him. She simply looked into his eyes and smiled. "You don't have to apologize…"

"Oh, Sisi… My sweet, sweet Sisi…" And with that he slowly kissed her. It began as a sweet soft kiss, just as their first kiss three years ago that very night had been. After a moment, it grew into a hot passionate kiss that enveloped both of them in an electric fire. They only stopped to take quick breaths. It had been weeks, months even, since they had had time together and this was possibly the first time they had ever wanted to be together.

"I have something for you," he whispered through the kiss.

Suddenly, he was up from the bed and across the room.

"What is it?" Elisabeth asked, resting herself up on her arms.

Joseph made his way back to his wife on the bed. In his hand, hung Elisabeth's sapphire necklace. But it was different. It was no longer the single stone on a white gold chain- Joseph had, apparently, had black pearls take the place of the simple chain.

"My necklace!" Elisabeth exclaimed. "I was wondering where it was!"

"Yes, I had a feeling you would," he said as he placed it around his wife's neck. "You wear it almost every day. I hope you like the changes."

"Oh Joseph," Sisi said, her eyes tearing. He hadn't been this loving and caring towards her in three years. "Thank you. You have no idea what this means to me…"

Joseph leaned forward and placed a kiss on her collarbone and slowly made his way up her neck, leaving a trail of kisses along her skin. They spent the rest of the evening together, holding one another, loving one another. Nothing could come between them. Nothing. And No one.

After hours of being with one another, Joseph and his Sisi fell asleep in each other's arms. Elisabeth held her husband tight against her breast, never wanting to let go. She had dreamt that their marriage would be like this, and after a hard and painful start, they seemed to be getting on the right track. Elisabeth fell in and out of sleep, always peeking through her eye lashes to see if her husband was still lying beside her.

"Elisabeth…"

Elisabeth stretched and opened her sleep filled eyes, looking at her husband.

"Yeah?" she asked through a yawn.

She waited for Joseph to say something to her, but he was sound asleep.

_Must be dreaming_… she thought as she rolled over to go back to sleep.

"Elisabeth…"

Elisabeth dared to open her eyes slowly, peering around the dim room. There, standing at the foot of her bed, arms crossed, a smile on his angelic face, was Death. The candles, still burning, cast a haunting glow around him, making him truly seem to be an angel… or a devil…

"What," she began, breathless. "What are you doing here?" She made an attempt to sit up but quickly realized that she was pinned to where she lay. It had been as it was the night of her wedding, she had no control over herself.

Death simply smiled at her and made his way towards her, his coat swishing around his ankles, his footsteps as loud as thunder in the silent night. He stopped just next to the bed and stared down at her. Slowly, he sat on the edge of the bed. Even more slowly, he reached out a gloved hand and lifted her nude form into his arms. She lay there, limp, and, thankfully, had the blankets covering anything she wished to conceal from him.

He began to run his fingers through her hair, ever so lovingly. She closed her eyes and remembered how nice it had felt when she was a little girl. What she would give to return to those carefree times with her Dark Prince. She slowly opened her eyes again. Death's eyes were boring into hers. She quickly turned her eyes away from his penetrating gaze. Elisabeth felt her face grow bright red and hot with embarrassment. How much had he seen? She slowly looked back up into his blue eyes. She did not see a trace of mockery or resentment in his eyes. They were soft and loving as they gazed back into her chocolate brown eyes that reflected the candle light.

Elisabeth could feel his hand slowly cup her head. Staring into her eyes, Death slowly lowered his lips closer and closer to hers. Elisabeth realized what was happening. He was planning on kissing her. Or rather… killing her. Terrified she tried with all her might to try and break from the invisible bonds that tied her so tight, but to no avail.

Just as their lips were about to touch, Death turned and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. It felt like an electric shock that left her skin freezing and tingling.

"Happy Birthday, Elisabeth," he whispered in her ear.

Elisabeth's eyes shot open and she sat up, still holding the blankets in front of her chest. A dream? She searched the room for any sign of her der Tod. She could see nothing. And yet when she lifted a trembling hand to where Death had kissed her it was surprisingly cooler than the surrounding skin and felt as if an electric current was running through it. Sighing, unsure of what to think, she lay back down on her bed and decided to go back to sleep.

There, on her bedside table, was a jet black rose.

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The romantic atmosphere found on her birthday, quickly died within the following weeks. Elisabeth spent every day with Sophie planning dinner parties and public appearances. No matter how hard she or Joseph tried, their time together was always short and certainly not romantic. But Elisabeth kept her spirits up. She knew they would be happy, the night of her birthday had proven it to her.

"Mother?" Joseph asked his mother as he knocked on her door. "Have you seen Sisi?" They had planned to meet for dinner.

"No," Sophie said, shortly. "Check in her room- that's where she usually is."

"Alright," he said with a sigh as he hurried down the hall. Sisi always made sure to make their dinner dates. It was so unlike her to not come without so much as saying why.

"Sisi?" he asked as he opened her door slowly. He could see light shining from under her bathroom door and heard water running. He lightly knocked on the door. When his only answer was an explosion of coughs, he opened the door and let himself in.

Elisabeth was sitting in front of the toilet, sick. She had run water in order to hide the sounds of her coughing and nausea.

"Sisi!" he cried as he threw himself down to the floor beside his pale, sick wife. "What's wrong? Are you alright?"

"Mmhmm…" she nodded her head slowly. "The nausea's passed. I was just too tired to get up."

"Oh Sisi," he sighed as he helped her to her bed. He wiped her face and neck with a cool washcloth and helped her change into pajamas. As he slowly laid her down on propped up pillows, he said:

"If you need anything, please call on me."

"Joseph, wait," Sisi said in a soft, ragged voice, lifting her hand out to stop her husband from leaving.

"What is it, Sisi?" he asked as he sat on the edge of the bed, taking a hold of her hand.

Sisi paused, looking away. She looked uncomfortable, unsure of what to say.

"Sisi?" Joseph prodded her, encouraging her to go on.

"I…" she began slowly. "I'm pregnant."

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	8. The Choice

**So this chappy was EXTREMELY difficult for me to write. For the first time in this journey I hit a writer's block! But after a good night's sleep and a long day full of classes, I was able to come back to Elisabeth and figure out what I wanted to do. I hope you enjoy it- Lord knows it was a lot of work… but I like how it turned out in the end.**

**Thank you to those of you who have been reading and I apologize that it took so long for me to update this. I was in the process of auditioning for a musical (which I got the lead in- YAYS!!) and then I needed time to mourn over the passing of Michael Jackson (ok, that's a lie... I was heart broken but I could've updated.... ^^)**

**On with the chappy!! ENJOY!!!!**

Chapter 7

Choice

The following day, Elisabeth was ordered to remain in bed and remained there for the following 9 months. She was only permitted to get up when nature called. Other than that, she was to remain laying down, her feet slightly elevated. Elisabeth felt as if she was trapped as a prisoner in the 19th Century. Pregnant women walked around all the time well into their pregnancies- this was ridiculous. She had not seen the light of day, other than through her window, in months. But during this time, she was rarely ever alone.

During the long and torturous days, Sophie kept Elisabeth company. During this time, she longed for nothing more than the evening to come. From four in the afternoon to midnight, Joseph kept watch over Sisi. This was the time that Sisi enjoyed- just her and Joseph acting as husband and wife. At exactly midnight, Joseph would make sure that his wife was fast asleep. She had often complained of the nights being cold so he would always add another blanket atop her ever growing belly.

Elisabeth's pregnancy lasted as long as any other woman's but the time seemed to fly by at an unnatural speed. She never saw her der Tod- perhaps it had been all in her mind after all. The only time she ever thought of him was in the night when her room had a deathly chill to it. And, before she realized it, nine months had passed.

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The pain was unbearable. Elisabeth had awoken in the night, screaming for her husband. Being of high status and wealth, Joseph had a doctor come to his home to deliver the baby, rather than rushing to the hospital. The doctor was a small, balding man with thick glasses, who spoke softly and encouragingly to Elisabeth.

Pained screams filled the air. Throughout the night and into the next day, Elisabeth suffered the absolute pains of womanhood. Such pain had not seemed possible. It began deep in her loins and slowly began to grow, burning and rolling its way up to her stomach, making her entire being feel as if it were on fire. Her hair was drenched in sweat, her hand held tight to her husband's. Joseph would rub his wife's back, trying to help take her mind off of the pain. He wished with all of his might that there was a way for him to take away the pain. To help her. But all he could do was stand by and watch his wife writhe in excruciating pain. Each time a scream erupted from her throat, Joseph felt his heart break, piece by piece.

Finally, the doctor announced that Elisabeth was ready- the baby was coming.

With soft encouragements, he would count, "Ready? One, two, three!" and on three, Elisabeth pushed. Quickly, she lost her breath and needed to rest.

"You're doing great, Sisi," the doctor said with a weak smile. "Come on. Try again! One. Two. Three!"

Elisabeth tried again. Oh, God the pain. The pain was unbearable now. She just wanted it out of her. New tears began to flow down her already wet cheeks. She sobbed in desperation, shaking her head.

"Elisabeth, one more time. Try just one more time and give it all you've got!" the man between her legs cheered.

Nodding weakly, she waited for the doctor to count once more.

"One. Two," he paused looking up at Elisabeth. "Three!"

Elisabeth pushed with all her might. She pushed and pushed, feeling herself rip inside. Her face bright red and twisted from the pain. She could slowly see her stomach getting smaller and smaller. She saw the doctor move to catch something- it must have been the baby. Before Elisabeth had a chance to see her baby, before she heard it cry, everything went black.

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Elisabeth awoke to a heavy atmosphere full of cries. A cool wet cloth was placed on her forehead and she could feel fingers on her wrist. She slowly opened her eyes to see the doctor standing over her, taking her pulse. Realizing that Elisabeth was awake, he gave her a small smile, patted her hand, and left the room.

Elisabeth could hear voices in the hall and could vaguely make out at least six figures. The doctor walked up to one of them and whispered in his ear. Joseph quickly turned and walked into Elisabeth's room. He knelt beside the bed and took his wife's clammy palm in his hands. It looked to Sisi that he hadn't gotten any sleep. She smiled weakly and said in a raspy voice:

"How's the baby?"

Joseph sighed as he looked down at Sisi's hand within his. His eyes began to fill with crystal tears, quickly overflowing. Elisabeth asked in a confused voice:

"Joseph?"

"Oh, Sisi," he cried as his kissed her hand. "Sisi…" He held her hand tight as he bowed his head and burst into sobs.

Taking deep breaths to control herself, she asked in a shaky voice, "Joseph, the baby?"

"Gone," he said as he wiped the tears from his face. "Oh, Sisi, I'm so sorry. The baby didn't make it."

Elisabeth sat on her bed, silent. Joseph wrapped his warm arms around her and held her as she burst into tears. Gone? How could that be? She was so sure that this baby would save her and Joseph's marriage. Elisabeth wrapped her arms around her husband, holding on for dear life. She felt as if she would drown in her own tears.

"Damn you," she whispered.

"Sisi," Joseph cried through his tears. He ran his hand through her hair, swaying back and forth, their tears mingling.

"Damn you!" Sisi screamed at the man she knew was there, silently watching them.

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Several days later, Elisabeth found herself surrounded by death. She and Joseph felt it necessary to give their child a proper, Christian burial. A cloud of black floated throughout the sea of tombstones in the town's local cemetery. Friends and family of both Joseph and Elisabeth were present to say goodbye to the child- to the little girl.

Elisabeth didn't hear much of the ceremony, she was trying with all her might to not remember this horrid experience. Soon, the crowd began to dwindle until it was Elisabeth, Joseph, and Sophie left. Sophie turned to go, beckoning Joseph to follow.

"She'll want some time alone," she said over her shoulder. Elisabeth glanced at her. For once, Sophie was right.

"Are you going to be alright, Sisi?" Joseph asked, putting his hand on her arm.

"Yes," she mouthed, nodding her head. She watched the two walk away. Once the black figures had disappeared in the distance, she turned back to the tombstone. She and Joseph had decided to name her Valerie. Elisabeth slowly knelt before the grave, her black dress cascading over the dirt. She reached out her hand and took a handful of the dry dirt and slowly let it pour out between her fingers over the tombstone. The dirt was dry, just like her eyes. They had run out of tears. She could no longer cry for her little girl.

After what seemed an eternity of kneeling, Elisabeth raised her head to the heavens. The sky had grown dark. She slowly stood, the blood rushing to her legs that had fallen asleep. She cleaned her hands of the dirt as she blew a kiss and began to walk away.

Suddenly the air was deathly still and seemed as cold as a winter day. Elisabeth stopped and slowly turned back to the grave site, afraid of what she would see. There, kneeling before the grave was Death, himself. His head was bowed, his golden hair falling over his perfect face. His black coat lay across the ground all around him, and he had a single gloved hand placed atop the grave.

"No!" Elisabeth screamed, running back to her child. "What are you doing here, der Tod?!"

Before she could reach him, he had stood up and caught her. They slowly sunk to the ground, sitting on top of the grave of Elisabeth's child.

"No," Elisabeth cried out. "Let go of me!"

Death held fast to the woman in his arms. After a moment of her trying to free herself from his grasp, he felt her entire body cave in and she began to sob, uncontrollably. He held her, as he had all those years ago. After several minutes of tears, he slowly lifted her face and held it in a single black gloved hand. He held her chin, forcing her to look in his eyes. Elisabeth tried to pull away, but Death would not give in.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "Elisabeth."

"For what?" Elisabeth asked in a venomous tone. "For taking my child away from me? Why apologize? You're jealous of what Joseph and I have and so you decided to get back at us. I understand completely so there's nothing to apologize for."

"No!" he roared, bruising her chin with his firm grip. "I didn't-" he took a breath to steady himself. "I was only following orders."

"What?" Elisabeth asked, furrowing her brow.

"I don't always choose who's time is up. I follow my orders from Destruction and Fate. I had to make a choice and there wasn't much time," he paused, looking into his love's eyes. "I watched you every night. I fell in love with that child just as much as you did. But it was either you or the baby. How could I possibly…" he trailed off.

"But I thought you wanted me to-" Elisabeth said in a confused voice.

"No," he cut her off. "I couldn't take you when you were a little girl and I couldn't take you now. I'm waiting."

"Waiting?"

He smiled a wicked smile that reached all the way to his cold, blue eyes.

"Yes," he whispered. "You need me. You love me. I refuse to take you for myself until you realize that."

Furious, Elisabeth spat, "I don't need you! I don't need anyone!"

"I believe I just proved you wrong there," he retorted. "If it wasn't for me, it'd be you under the ground right now," he finished as he tapped the dirt beneath him with a long, gloved finger.

Elisabeth froze. She knew he was right. She should be dead at the moment. And yet, because of him, she was alive. He had saved her. Again. She dropped her eyes to the ground in shame.

"And I'd be careful if I were you," Death warned. Elisabeth slowly raised her eyes to meet his once again, searching for an explanation. "Don't get too close to that man. You're unlucky, falling in love with Death. You're only going to drag him down with you….."

"Sisi?"

And with that, Death released Elisabeth from his icy grasp and disappeared into the darkness of the night. Elisabeth sat there on the ground, frozen in fear.

"Sisi!" Joseph cried as he knelt before his wife. "Are you alright?" He asked as he held her face in his hands looking into her eyes. "Come on," he sighed. "Let's go."

Waking up from her nightmare, Elisabeth stood up with Joseph. She walked out, leaning on her husband for support. Her legs seemed weak, her head felt light. And in her mind, she kept repeating Death's foreboding warning:

"You'll only drag him down with you…"

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	9. Passing Time

**Alright! Chapter 8…… So chappy #7 was pretty depressing… why stop there?!? This chappy is sort of a filler. I needed to move on from Death's warning and get the story where it needs to be. It's a shorter chappy but don't worry-- #9 will get us back in the swing of things!**

**Enjoy!!**

Chapter 8

Passing Time

After Elisabeth's encounter with Death in the cemetery, her world began to slowly and chaotically unravel. Several weeks after the death of their little girl, Elisabeth's father passed away. Even though he hadn't been an influential part of her life for over ten years, Elisabeth was shattered. First her child and then her father? Was Death trying to kill her through a broken heart? She would not allow those around her to see her cry. She would not show any weakness. She would be strong for her mother and her sister. And she would certainly not let Death control her and her life.

A year passed without any tragic events. Sophie was still as disapproving of Elisabeth as ever. Joseph was still engrossed in his work. And Elisabeth was still trying to find her way. The only change was that Elisabeth stopped all attempts in trying and improve her and Joseph's marriage. After the death of their child, they grew apart and never tried to reconnect. Fearing for her husband's safety, Elisabeth had begun to alienate herself from him and his mother. She spent all her time alone in her room or outside in the woods- always adhering to Death's warning. Joseph, swamped with work, was unaware of the true reasoning behind his wife's actions.

When Elisabeth was 23 years old, violence began to break out in the city streets of Munich. Young rebels thinking that they knew how to run the city were trying with all their might and pathetic resources to overthrow the government. Being a man of the government, Joseph withdrew from his job in the city and spent several weeks safe in the countryside with Elisabeth. And soon after, Elisabeth discovered that she was, once again, pregnant.

When Joseph discovered that his wife was once again carrying his child, he began to make quick plans to leave the country.

"Leave?" Elisabeth said, placing her hand on her round belly. "But everything is here. Our families, your work!"

"Elisabeth," Joseph began. "You're pregnant," he said motioning to her. "There is a war going on just down the road," he continued pointing to the window. "We're not staying here just so we can lose another…" He trailed off, not willing to finish his thought. They both knew what he had wanted to say. 'Lose another child.' He hadn't said it, but it had hurt nonetheless.

She waited a moment to collect herself, then Elisabeth asked, looking up:

"But where will we go?"

"I've already bought a house in Austria. We're moving in in two weeks."

"Two weeks?!" Elisabeth cried. That left her hardly any time to prepare, to pack, to say goodbye to her mother and sister.

"Yes," her husband said as he looked up from packing his things. "My friend Max, found me a job in Vienna's City Hall." Seeing the doubt on his wife's face, he walked over to her and gave her a loving hug. They hadn't had physical contact for months- this felt… good. "It'll be as if we are starting all over. Everything is going to be great!" he reassured her.

But something deep inside Elisabeth told her that it was not going to be that simple.

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In a month, the married couple was moved and settled in their new home in Austria. Joseph's job in Vienna's government was better than the one he had in Munich. Their home was more beautiful and spacious with much more property than their old house. Elisabeth would've thought that Joseph was right; they might just get a new start- if Sophie hadn't come along with them. Elisabeth's unpleasant mother- in- law claimed that she wanted to be present when her grandchild was born.

During her pregnancy, Elisabeth was allowed to wander around. The doctor believed that the child had died due to Elisabeth's lack of intake of vitamin D found in sunlight. As a result, Elisabeth was ordered to spend time in the outdoors- either in the field behind the estate or walking the streets of Vienna. Elisabeth was determined to defy Death and make sure her child would make it. Her child would survive, live a full life, become something great, make a change in the world. This she was sure of.

The only damper on her plan was that Death followed her wherever she went. Whether it was to remind her of his warning or to simply watch over her, she didn't know. Every time she would see her Dark Prince, she would place a protective hand on her stomach in fear for her unborn child. But he never showed any signs of taking the baby or causing anymore catastrophes (for she knew he was behind her father's death and the coup in Germany).

And once again, before she knew it, the baby came.

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To try and avoid a second stillborn, Joseph had everything done entirely different regarding the birth of his child. The moment Elisabeth showed signs of having contractions, he brought her to the city hospital. Elisabeth was given the proper drugs to numb the pain, making it much easier on her.

After hours of painless labor and being told when to push, Elisabeth's baby boy was born.

Elisabeth, eyes wide and holding her breath, waited to hear the baby's cries. The minute the high pitched cries filled the room, Elisabeth felt her heart race. The doctor placed him on her breast and she had her first chance to look at her little boy with loving eyes. He was alive. Beautiful. Strong. Healthy. Alive. They had beaten Death, together.

"So what's his name?" one of the young nurses asked as Elisabeth held onto her child.

"Rudolph," Joseph said as he stood next to his wife, beside himself with joy. Upon seeing the nurses perplexed look, he added, "It was my father's name."

"Oh!" the nurse said with a smile. "Well, congratulations!"

"Oh, Sisi!" Joseph said with a smile on his tear stained face. He kissed her cheek, as giddy as a schoolboy.

"Oh," Elisabeth whispered, with a smile, to Rudolph. Her baby boy. "We did it…"

"I'm going to tell my mother the news," Joseph said as he left the room with a smile lighting up his face.

The moment he passed through the doorway, Death appeared surrounded by his cold, dark persona. He simply stared at the woman lying on the hospital bed holding her baby. She had known that he would come. Staring straight into his cold eyes, she said in a deadly tone:

"You stay away from my baby."

Death simply nodded and smiled wickedly. Oh he would stay away from the baby… but he wouldn't be a baby forever.

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	10. Ten Years Later

**So here is the long and quite eventful Chapter 9. After a somewhat short, filler chappy I thought I'd reward you with an obnoxiously long one! We get to officially met Rudolph (or in our case, Rudy) in the chappy. He's a cutie… This chappy took some time to write but I really like it! It gets the story going on a whole new level and almost every important character is in it- Elisabeth, Joseph, Sophie, Rudolph, and, of course, our beloved and oh so sexy Death!! I hope you like it!**

Chapter 9

10 years later

The following decade passed with little consequence for Elisabeth and her growing family. While things never got worse, they never seemed to get better for her, either. The day in the hospital was the last day Elisabeth was able to hold onto her son for as long as she desired. As soon as Rudy was brought home, Sophie decided that she knew what was best and decided to raise him. Elisabeth tried with all her might to try and convince her mother- in- law that she, as Rudy's mother, knew what was best for him and should raise him. Elisabeth was forced to watch her son grow from a distance.

On top of the fact that Elisabeth never saw her son, she also never saw Death. The day Rudy was born was the last time she saw him. The times when she never saw him made her feel as if she had truly lost her mind. Was she truly seeing and speaking to Death? Or had she truly gone mad?

Elisabeth was walking through the house late one night. She was prone to walking around at night in hopes of being able to watch her little boy sleep. Her bathrobe slid on the floor behind her as she quietly tip-toed down the carpeted hall to her son's room. As she got to the door, she saw a dim light shining from under the door. She heard Rudy talking quietly with someone. She leaned in closer, placing her ear to the cream door. It was a man's voice. She was hoping that Joseph had listened to her and was talking to Rudy. He had left his mother a note under her door about Sophie hurting his feelings and making him cry. Elisabeth had told her husband of this and he had promised to talk to Rudy. Smiling, she kissed her hand and placed it on the door, and after a moment she turned and headed back to her room.

The next day, Elisabeth was walking past Rudy's bedroom and saw that his door was open. She paused and looked inside. Seeing her son sitting at his desk, hard at work, she quietly knocked on the door.

"Hey," she said, softly, as Rudy looked up from his work and turned to look over his shoulder.

"Hi, mom," he said with a smile. It was rare that they had time together, much less, time together without his grandmother hovering around.

Elisabeth peeked her head in the room and looked around. "Your grandma?" she whispered.

"Gone," Rudy said with a smile. "She went into town for something."

"Oh thank God," Elisabeth said with a dramatic sigh.

Rudolph burst into peals of laughter as his mother came into the room and sat on his bed. He dropped his pencil and turning his back on his homework, he turned to his mother. It was an occasion when they spent time together, and he lived for each of these moments. His mother was the most beautiful person he had ever seen and he adored her. In all he did, he hoped to earn her praise or gain her approval. She was his soft place to fall when he was with his strict grandmother and professional father. However distant she was, he still loved her more than anyone else.

"So what are you doing?" Elisabeth asked him. She never knew what to say. All she ever wanted to do was watch him, touch him, hug him.

"Oh," he said, looking over his shoulder at his work. "Grandma Sophie wants me to learn French."

"Wow," Elisabeth said. "How many languages do you know now?"

"German, Hungarian, English, Russian, and now French," he said proudly.

"Well, you officially know more languages than me!" his mother said running her hand through his blond hair. "I only know German, Hungarian, English, and Russian. No French for me."

They both started to laugh. How nice it was to be able to talk freely with one another. Just being mother and son not the trophy family of one of the up and coming politicians of Austria.

"So what were you up to last night?" Elisabeth asked with a coy smile. She had hoped that Rudy and Joseph were able to bond a bit last night.

"What?" Rudy asked looking at his mother.

"Oh, well I was coming back from the bathroom last night," Elisabeth lied. "And I saw your light on and heard you talking."

"Oh, that," Rudy said looking down at his hands. "I was just talking with a friend."

Elisabeth, confused, asked, "A friend? At two in the morning?"

Rudy just nodded his head as if there was nothing suspicious about him being up in the middle of the night having a conversation with a friend.

"Rudy," Elisabeth pressed. "Don't you think you're a bit old to have an imaginary friend?"

"But he's not!" Rudy exclaimed, looking up at his mom. "He's real! He comes into my room every night and we talk."

"Oh really?" Elisabeth said with a raised eyebrow. "And what exactly do you talk about?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Lots of things," he paused. "Tod likes to talk about you, actually."

Elisabeth just stared at her son with wide, horrified eyes. She could feel her heart pounding in her throat and she had forgotten how to breathe. God, no… it couldn't be…

After a moment, Elisabeth collected herself and asked, "What was his name?"

"Tod," Rudy said, matter of factly. "Well, technically der Tod but he told me to just call him Tod. He says that you two used to be really good friends."

Elisabeth just stared at her son. How could this have happened? She hadn't seen or heard of Death in ten long years. Suddenly he reappears in her life and befriends her son? What was he trying to do? She had warned him to stay away from her son and he had obliged… until now.

"How did you meet Tod?"Elisabeth asked, slowly.

"Well," Rudy began, looking as if he was trying to remember. "It was a few months ago. I had a nightmare and was calling for you but I guess you didn't hear," he paused and looked up at his mother who had began to look upset. "It's alright mom!" he said as he went over to hug her. "Well, after a few minutes, he came into my room and said that you couldn't hear me. I asked who he was and he claimed to be my friend and that if I ever needed anyone I would only have to call out his name and he would come and stay with me! Ever since then, we've hung out together every night!" he ended with a smile.

Elisabeth sat where she was, in shock. Death was coming into her home every night and talking with her son. What was going on?

"Sweetie," Elisabeth said, taking a hold of her son's tiny hands. "I want you to not see him anymore."

"What?" Rudy asked. "But mom! He's really nice and he's not bad!"

"Rudolph!" Elisabeth cried. "I don't want you to see him again. He's…" she trailed off. What was she going to say? 'He's Death, don't go near him. He may kill you?'

"But mom, you're friends with him."

"No," Elisabeth said, coldly. "No I am not. I may have been once, but believe me when I say that you cannot trust him," she looked at her son, savoring the moment. Suddenly, she and Rudy threw their arms around each other and simply held onto each other. "Oh, Rudy…"

"Don't worry mom," Rudy said into her brown hair. "I can take care of myself."

"What are you doing?"

The mother and son broke their embrace and turned to the doorway. Sophie stood with shopping bags in both arms and a scowl on her old, weathered face.

"Rudolph, get back to your work!" she yelled to the ten year old boy.

Rudy quickly jumped back from his mother and sat back at his desk, continuing his French. Fed up with the way Sophie treated her son, Elisabeth decided it was time to finally put an end to it and confront her mother- in- law.

"Sophie!" she said as she jumped up from the bed and began to march up to Sophie.

"And you!" Sophie said to Elisabeth in a venomous tone. "What do you think you're doing? Who told you that you could come in here?"

Elisabeth opened her mouth to answer her.

"Get out!" Sophie shouted as she pushed Elisabeth out of the room and slammed the door behind her.

Elisabeth, fuming, stomped down the hall to her room. This was ridiculous. Rudy was her child not Sophie's. This had gone on long enough. She was going to put an end to this tonight.

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The knocking at the door made Elisabeth look up from her writing.

"Elisabeth," Joseph said through the door. "Open the door."

Elisabeth just rolled her eyes and continued writing until she heard another knock.

"Elisabeth, I know you're in there. I want to talk to you. I haven't seen you in days."

Getting up from her desk, she slowly walked across her room, her slippers lightly tapping on the ceramic floor. She stood before the door for a moment, taking a deep breath. Putting her hand on the cold, golden doorknob, she turned it and opened the door. The minute the door was open, she turned and walked back to her desk.

"Thank you," Joseph said as he entered her room. He followed Elisabeth to her desk and stood behind her. "Oh Sisi," he began as he ran his hand through her braided hair. "Work is painful right now. This nation is in so much debt. And France! Don't get me started with the French. Ever since I became governor, it's been nothing but suicides and scandals and threats." He slowly began to give her a kiss on the cheek. Elisabeth shook him off and stood up, and said, spitefully:

"Why don't you go to your mother? I'm sure you'd like that better than being here with me."

"Sisi, don't," Joseph said.

"No!" Elisabeth shouted as she walked away from him. "You let Sophie torture Rudy. I tell you that he has been crying over what she does to him and I ask you to talk to them both and you do nothing!"

"Elisabeth!" Joseph said, hurt.

"Joseph, don't start with me! I'm not even able to see my own son! He's not her son! He's mine! I ask you to help me and you do nothing! You always take her side!"

"Sisi, stop it!" Joseph yelled back at his wife.

"No, I won't stop it!" Elisabeth said as she walked back to Joseph and her desk. "He's only a child and can't defend himself from witches like his grandmother. I'm putting an end to this tonight. It's either her or me. If you don't want to lose me you had better choose wisely."

"What?" Joseph began.

Elisabeth picked up the paper that was lying on her desk. She took a final look at it and placed it firmly in her husband's hand.

"An ultimatum," she said, looking him squarely in the eye. "I want to be able to spend as much time with my son as I want. I want to make decisions regarding his education. And I want to be able to go where I want, when I want. It's time to choose. Either it's your mother. Or me," she finished turning away. "Now get out. I want to be alone."

"Sisi," Joseph whispered, advancing towards his wife's back. This was unlike her. He had never seen her this mad before. She had always remained calm and collected in times of strife. She never lashed out in this manner.

"Go!" Elisabeth cried before he could touch her. She remained where she was, back turned, head bowed, eyes tightly shut, until she heard the door shut behind her husband. When she heard nothing but silence, she fell onto her bed in tears. This was not the life she had planned for herself. She had dreamt of a life of love and adventure, travel, new experiences. Not a life of rules and regulations, horrible in laws, and no pleasant human contact. She wanted to escape. To get away from everything. She wanted to free herself from the world that had her bound so tight.

"Elisabeth…" a beautiful voice, she had not heard in a decade, sang out her name. She looked up and scanned the room. The room had become black as night and had a deathly chill to the air. Standing above her was her Dark Prince, more beautiful than ever before. He sat on the bed beside her and lifted her up with cold, black gloved hands and held her in his arms. He began to quietly sing her name as he wiped the tears from her face, leaving small streams of ice on her flushed cheeks.

"Oh Elisabeth," Death said quietly, running his hand down to the small of her back. "All this pain and suffering will be over. I can take you to a better place," he said looking down at her.

Elisabeth stared up at her der Tod. How she wanted to leave. Escape from everything this world had thrown at her. With him, she could be free…

"Elisabeth," Death whispered as he took hold of one of Elisabeth's small hands and laid her on her bed. Leaning over her, he breathed, "I love you…" Slowly, he began to lean in closer and closer. His lips were a mere inch from Elisabeth's when she realized what was on the verge of occurring.

"No!" she shouted as she pushed Death off of her. Death pulled back and stared at the woman in his arms. "I want to live," Elisabeth said to him as she pushed her way passed him and stood up. "I can free myself. I don't need anyone's help. Not even yours," she added over her shoulder.

Knowing that he hadn't lost yet, Death jumped up from the bed and walked over to the woman he loved. When she felt him standing behind her, Elisabeth turned to look at her Prince. Her eyes were transfixed upon his icy blue orbs. Slowly she realized that he had a single hand extended towards her, beckoning.

"No!" Elisabeth cried as she shied away from his hand. "I don't want you!" she shouted at him. "I don't need you… I don't need anyone," she spat. When Death didn't leave her, she screamed into his face, "Get out!"

He stared at her for a moment longer, smiled a wicked smile, and slowly disappeared into the darkness. But Elisabeth knew that that would not be the last time he would haunt her.

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	11. Belonging

**CHAPTER 10!!! Can you believe we've been together for 10 chappies?! So I had fun writing this chappy. It keeps the story moving even if it is shorter than the last one. I hope you like it! A couple of our favorite characters are in it and the love triangle continues!! YAYS -- I LOVE love triangles!! I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!! **

**ALSO! We are officially at the halfway mark! This scene is the finale in Akt 1 of "Elisabeth." We've made it halfway! I'm glad you guys have stuck with it so far- Thank you!! Well I hope you enjoy the chapter. The drama continues! Poor Elisabeth… forced to choose between her husband of over ten years and the oh so beautiful Death! What is a girl to do? Well, I'm sure you all know what I would do in her shoes....**

**As always, thank you SO much to all of my wonderful reviewers!! Your feedback makes me post these faster and I LOVE hearing from you!**

**On with the chappy—ENJOY!!**

Chapter 10

Belonging

The days following Death's unexpected visit with Elisabeth passed with little consequence. Elisabeth waited for her husband's response to her ultimatum. She spent time alone, outside. Every day she would wake up before the sun's rays could touch the horizon, dress, and take a taxi out to the countryside. Some days she would hike through the woods- the wet, moldy leave's scent filling her lungs. Other days she would climb up the mountains and gaze out on the small villages below. She had all the time in the world. Time to herself. Time to think. Time to dream.

She would think of what her life would've been like if she had done things differently. She could very possibly be happy right now, if things had gone differently…

On the night of her 18th birthday, if she had spent the evening with Becky, she would still have a best friend in her life. Someone to confide in; someone to talk to, laugh and cry with. She would have been able to enjoy her young adult years as simply that- a young adult being surrounded by friends and people who loved her for who she truly was.

What if her father had been in her life? What if he hadn't become obsessed with providing his family with the best that money could buy? What if he had been happy to simply be with his wife and little girls? Elisabeth knew that if her father had been with her growing up, she would not have jumped into a relationship with Joseph. She wouldn't have craved for a man in her life to make her feel loved or protected. Was Joseph simply a replacement for her father?

Or was it Death, her Dark Prince, who she had replaced her father with? He had appeared in her life just around the time Max had begun to travel with work. When was it exactly? Elisabeth shut her eyes, tight, trying to think back to when she had first laid eyes on that deadly yet beautiful man. It had been over 20 years ago. She must have been ten years old. A child. She recalled the church picnic in which her father had missed due to work. Bored, she had joined the boys in a game of baseball, only to run across the street to retrieve the ball. And then a car…

Elisabeth's eyes shot open. She had died. Or at least came very close to it. That had to be it. When she got hit by that car, Death had come to take her away. That was when he first saw her. That was when he decided to not take her and let her live. Why? Elisabeth knew why. He loved her. Loved her enough to give her a second chance at life. And what about Elisabeth? It was obvious that Death had fallen instantly in love with her. She couldn't lie that, as a little girl, she had dreamt of flying away with her Prince. She had loved him. But she grew out of it. It had been a beautiful dream, too good to be true. And now, she was being haunted by the beautiful ghost from her past. Elisabeth couldn't help but think- if her father had gone to the church picnic, she wouldn't have played with those boys, she wouldn't have had to run across the street to get the ball, the car wouldn't have hit her, and she would've never met and fallen in love with Death.

"No," Elisabeth said to herself. "I can't blame him. It was going to happen. If not then, then somewhere else. I was bound to meet der Tod sooner or later. I just wish it had been later…"

The cool breeze running through the mountains sent a chill down her spine. The sun had begun to slide behind the mountain peaks staining their snowcaps pink and orange and purple. Elisabeth looked down at her watch to see how long she had been sitting there daydreaming about ridiculous, pointless matters. Things had gone the way they had; there was no going back, no changing things. She was stuck where she was. But no one would keep her locked up in a cage. It didn't matter if Joseph accepted her proposal or not- she would make sure she was free. No one could free her but herself. That she was sure of.

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By the time Elisabeth returned to the house, night had fallen. Dinner was done and over with and Rudy was tucked into bed. She walked to her bedroom and got ready to go to bed. As she came out of her bathroom, she heard a knock at her door. Putting down her brush, Elisabeth walked over and answered the door.

"Elisabeth," Joseph said, standing in the doorway in his pajamas and bathrobe. "Would you please meet me in my office?"

Elisabeth nodded her head and said quietly, "Of course."

Her husband turned on his heel and walked down the hall to his study. Elisabeth had waited days for this moment. She needed to be calm and strong no matter what the outcome was. She pulled her pink, lacey bathrobe over her pajamas, pulled her brown curls up on top of her head, and, taking a deep breath, walked down the hall to hear her husband's decision.

Pausing outside his door, Elisabeth took a deep, relaxing breath as she walked confidently into the room. Joseph had his back to her and the door, leaning on his desk, his head bowed.

"Elisabeth," he whispered in a low, raspy voice. "I wanted to tell you that I accept your requests."

Elisabeth didn't know what to say. She knew how loyal he was to his mother and felt that he would side with Sophie. This decision shocked Elisabeth, to say the least.

"Joseph…" Elisabeth sighed, relieved.

"Oh Elisabeth," Joseph said as he raised his head. Elisabeth could see his reflection looking at her in the window adjacent to them. "I can't stand not being loved by you. You know that I would do whatever I could, give you whatever you wanted just to make you happy."

Elisabeth smiled to herself as Joseph walked around his desk to sit down. He motioned for his wife to sit in the chair before him. He continued:

"You will decide what Rudy will learn regarding language, math, science, and history. You can decide on things in this house- events, parties, decorating, meals. I won't let my mother come between us anymore. I don't want to lose you," he paused looking up at his wife. "You see, since I've entered in the running to be Austria's President, I've been flooded with work. I've never felt anything. I've always tried to avoid unnecessary emotions so they don't affect me and my work. But," he continued with a weak smile. "When I met you, all of that changed. I fell in love with you but I soon forgot how wonderful that felt. I tried to suppress emotions that could hold me back. But now I realize I would rather give it all up as long as I can still have your love. Elisabeth," he said as he reached out to take hold of her small, pale hand. "Stay with me. Please…"

Elisabeth looked at her hand within his. They felt warm and nice. She looked up to Joseph's eyes and said, "I want to stay with you Joseph. But if I do, you can't hold me back. I want to experience life and I can't do that when I'm being kept in a cage. I don't want to be treated as if I'm an object that you own. I don't belong to you. I love you. You have my love, but you can't have all of me. I belong to-"

Elisabeth stopped. Standing behind her husband stood the other man that had claimed her and her love- Death. He simply stood there invisible to her husband, arms crossed, smiling wickedly, his long black coat swaying around his ankles. The dark angel looking as intoxicatingly beautiful as ever.

"Elisabeth," both the men said in unison- Joseph's voice high and questioning, Death's low and knowing.

"I belong to me," Elisabeth finished. She had begun the statement in a strong voice, speaking boldly to both the men standing before her, but she quietly trailed off as Death said to her at the same moment:

"You belong to me."

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	12. Destiny

**So… I think that this might be our longest chapter to date. If it isn't…. well it's certainly the most exciting! I've had this chappy in my head for awhile now. I hope you guys like it! I also wanna apologize for taking so long to update~ I'm in a musical right now and it has taken over my LIFE!!!! But I love love LOVE this chappy so I hope you feel that it was worth the wait!! Also, thank you so much to all of my reviewers!! I love hearing from all of you! Sooo.... let me know what you think of the newest installment to our lovely tale! **

**ENJOY!!**

Chapter 11

Destiny

In the months following Elisabeth and Joseph's reconciliation, Joseph stayed true to his and his wife's agreement. Elisabeth was allowed to spend time with her son, she was permitted to go where she wanted, when, and with whomever she wished, and in return, Elisabeth stayed by her husband's side always supportive and always loving. Elisabeth grew closer with Rudy, she was attempting to fall in love with Joseph again, and she was trying, for the life of her, to forget Death.

During this time, Elisabeth also helped Joseph in his campaign for Austria's Presidency. She would attend the dinner parties, the speeches, the rallies, the photo shoots, always being the beautiful wife, behind her husband, supporting him. The local newspapers began to call her, "The Most Beautiful Woman in Austria" or even, "The Most Beautiful Woman in the World." Her long brown hair was always piled on top of her head, allowing others to view her porcelain face that appeared to be practically perfect in every way. She would listen to Sophie- stand by Joseph in her navy blue dress suit, with a smile placed on her beautiful face, dainty claps, and always finish the event with a cordial hug. The people of Austria seemed to love the candidate's wife rather than the Presidential hopeful, himself.

The married couple traveled all throughout Austria during the Presidential election, taking their son with them where ever they went. They traveled from Vienna to Innsbruck. En route to Graz, Joseph decided to stop in the city of Lienz, along the southern border, in order to try and pick up a few of the votes in the South.

"Mom," Rudy tugged on his mother's sleeve while they were in the car. "How far south are we going?"

"As south as you can get before you're in Italy," Elisabeth said as she placed a sweet kiss in his golden blond hair.

"Oh," Rudy said in a disappointed voice.

"What's wrong?" Elisabeth asked.

"I just wished I learned Italian," he replied as Elisabeth burst into laughter.

"You'll be fine!" she said with a reassuring squeeze as the car door opened and they stepped out into the screaming crowd. Joseph walked up to Elisabeth, took a hold of her hand, and led her and Rudy up to the stage.

The minute her foot hit the stage, Elisabeth placed her irresistible smile on her made up face. She held onto Rudy's small hand and played the role of the loving wife and mother. Never interested in what her husband had to say, she would peer out into the crowd. She loved seeing the variety of people present to support her husband. Old, young, men, women, tall, short. The people of this city were different from those of the other cities they had visited. Rather than the paler skin and fairer hair, many of them had skin the color of coffee mixed with cream and jet black hair.

There was one boy, in particular, who caught her eye. He had the dark skin and black hair of the Italians but had wide innocent chocolate brown eyes. He had found a place on a fountain and was craning his neck in order to see the stage. After a moment, the young boy realized that Elisabeth's eyes were on him and a large smile illuminated his face. He pulled his baseball cap off of his head and waved it in the air over his head. Elisabeth's plastered smile suddenly reached to her eyes and she waved to the boy causing his smile to grow even more.

At the end of Joseph's speech full of promises and plans, the crowd burst into cheers and cries. With a final wave, Joseph took Elisabeth's hand and led her and Rudy down the stairs to meet with the members of the crowd. Those eager to meet with the hopeful future president, swarmed around the family and among those was the young boy from the fountain.

"Hello," he said to Elisabeth with a smile, in a voice that was buried in a deep Italian accent.

"Hello," Elisabeth replied, dazzling him with her perfect smile. "Are you from Italy?" she asked, truly interested.

"Oh," he said, nodding. "Yes, ma'am."

"Well, your German is wonderful," she said as she touched his arm. "And what brings you to Lienz?"

"I…" the boy said, avoiding the woman's gaze. "I wanted to get the chance to see you."

"See me?" she asked, quizzically.

"Oh yes!" the boy said, lifting his head, their chocolate eyes meeting. "'The Most Beautiful Woman in the World?' I didn't want to miss the chance!"

"Oh," Elisabeth said, laughing. "Well, thank you. I hope you weren't disappointed," She added with a wink.

"No, ma'am!"

"Please," she stopped the boy. "Call me Elisabeth."

"E- Elisabeth," the boy said, sheepishly. "Thank you."

Elisabeth nodded as her husband motioned to her that it was time to leave. With a smile, Elisabeth began to turn and walk away just as the boy grabbed her arm and said:

"Just so you know- I would do anything to make you happy. Anything! If you ever need anything, just come to Luigi Lucheni!"

"Thank you, Luigi," Elisabeth said as she placed a kiss on the boy's cheek and followed her husband back to their car.

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The night the results of the election did not hold much surprise. Joseph was ahead in the polls for months and this was simply the official announcement. Joseph won by a landslide and he, Elisabeth, and Rudy celebrated among friends, family, co- workers, and complete strangers. It was certainly a great achievement and Elisabeth was happy that she had helped Joseph get there. It had helped the two grow closer together- granted they acted more like co- workers rather than husband and wife.

The night of the inauguration came upon them faster than what would've seemed possibly. But before Elisabeth knew it, she was at the Hofburg Imperial Palace, in an evening gown, watching her husband being sworn into office. The night was long and seemed to bore both Elisabeth and Rudy to death. Thankfully, the mother and son were able to sit next to one another. They doodled on the tablecloth, played with the napkins, and enjoyed several violent games of "Hangman." The clock on the wall above the table seemed to be moving backwards- Elisabeth could not make this night end. She had been proud of Joseph- happy, even- that he had been elected by the people of Austria to represent them as their new president, but this was not her world. She belonged outside, walking through the forest or swimming in the lake, not sitting in a painfully tight, black ball gown surrounded by other miserable people who didn't want to be there, either.

Finally, after hours of monotonous speeches and hundreds of pictures, the evening ended and the family was able to move into their new home. The Imperial Palace had been the ruling place of Austria since the 13th Century, housing such elites as Marie Antoinette and members the Habsburg Monarchy. Each member of the President's family received their own room in which to reside in and, as a result, Elisabeth was able to escape from reality once again.

The moment the door behind her closed she sighed a sigh of relief. What a great triumph! She had risen from being the wife of a refugee politician to the President's wife. With a smile, she slowly undressed, freeing herself from the tight dress. She let the black dress fall to the ground and stepped out of it. Leaving the thousand dollar dress laying on the floor, she wrapped her lacy bathrobe around her nude form. Walking over to her mirror, she took the pins out of her hair and let it fall down her back. Pulling the curly, brown locks over her shoulder, she began to braid the mass of curls, quietly humming to herself.

"Elisabeth…" a voice whispered in her ear, sending a shiver down spine.

Elisabeth spun around and stared into the ice blue eyes of Death. They stared into each other's eyes for what seemed to be an eternity. Elisabeth was furious. It had been months since she had last seen Death in her husband's office, and now after such a triumphant event for Elisabeth and Joseph, Death decided to reappear in her life and torture her? Elisabeth needed to remind herself to breathe.

"What are you doing here, der Tod?" Elisabeth whispered, barely audible to human ears.

Death just smiled and placed a gloved hand on her flushed cheek. She sighed as she closed her eyes and buried her face in his hand. It was cold, as it always had been, and seemed to send an electrical current through her skin, flying its way to her heart, making it skip a beat. They hadn't been this close since the night of Death's confession of love. Since then, Elisabeth refused to admit that she had longed for him to touch her again- hold her hand, stroke her cheek, run his hand through her hair… kiss her.

Her eyes flew open at that thought. How could she possibly wish such a thing? She had finally accomplished something in her, thus far, meaningless life. She had helped her husband become the President of Austria! She was finally free. Free to do what she wanted. Free to love her son. Free to do whatever she wanted with her life- and she wasn't about to give that all up just to be with a man who would bring her nothing but death.

Standing up, she pushed Death away from her and spat, "Get away from me!"

As she pushed her way to the door, Death grabbed a hold of her petite wrist and enticingly whispered her name.

"Stop it!" Elisabeth cried trying to free herself from Death's icy grip. "I have finally done something I am proud of in my life," she continued, tears running down her cheeks. "I have freed myself. And I didn't need any help from you!" she screamed.

Death just stared at the woman before him for a moment and burst into peals of laughter.

"What's so funny?" Elisabeth asked, venomously.

"Do you honestly think you're free?" he asked with a mocking smile.

"Yes," Elisabeth stated. "I've beaten Sophie, I've become closer to Joseph and Rudy-much to your disapproval, I know- and I've now become the new First Lady of Austria," she finished with a smug look on her face.

"And do you really think that you're free now that your 'husband,'" Death spat the word as if it were a curse. "Is President? The way I see it, you've just found a new form of imprisonment. So many rules and regulations and duties for the President's wife. Rather foolish of you, don't you think?"

"Stop it," Elisabeth hissed as she, once again, tried to shake off his grip. "This is what I want!" she lied to both Death and herself. "I fought so hard to rise up above Sophie and those who have always hated me and judged me! I became the most powerful woman in Austria… and I did it without anyone's help- especially yours! I'm living, der Tod! Living! Living the life I've always wanted. I'm happy and married to a successful, caring man. I…" Elisabeth paused, trying to collect herself. "I love Joseph," she said pointing to Death with her free hand, "Whether you like it or not!"

Before Elisabeth could comprehend what was happening, she had been thrown onto her bed and Death was laying on top of her.

"Don't lie!" he spat at her. "Don't you dare say that you love that pathetic excuse for a man!"

Terrified, Elisabeth tried with all her might to try and get Death off of her, but with his entire weight on top of her small body, Elisabeth could only struggle in vain. Death grabbed both of her arms and pinned them up over her head with one of his black, cold hands. His free hand, he used to force her to look into his eyes that were burning with a deadly mix of fury and passion.

"You love me," he whispered to her in the most deadly tone. He stated it with such confidence, his tone seemed to dare her to even try to deny it. His fingers dug deep into her chin causing her to cry out in pain. Elisabeth tried to turn her eyes away from his penetrating gaze, only to have Death force her to look back.

"Stop it, please…" Elisabeth whimpered, fresh tears flowing, causing her once pristine make up to run down in dark rivers down her face.

Death let a small, mocking laugh escape his lips as he lifted her limp form off the bed only to slam her against the wall. Elisabeth screamed as she felt her body slam against the unforgiving wall and her vision began to blur. Death had both of Elisabeth's arms pinned once again, making any hope of escape inconceivable.

"You love me," he said again, leaning in close to whisper it in her ear. Elisabeth's entire being began to tremble as she felt Death close the gap between their bodies. She could feel his hard, cold chest pressing against her warm trembling body through her thin bathrobe. Her strength was no match to his power over her and she knew that. She could feel him getting closer and closer to her and all that was separating her- protecting her- from him was nothing more than a bathrobe; a bathrobe that had begun to slowly open, revealing her fair, perfect skin to the dangerous man before her.

"Please, der Tod…" she whispered in a raspy voice, slowly shaking her head.

"You love me!" he screamed as he pressed all his weight against her, crushing her into the wall behind her. "You always have," he continued in a softer, more deadly tone. "You think you're free?" he asked her. "No…" he whispered. "No! You'll never be free! No one will ever have you," he said as he ran a single gloved hand down her cheek, in a rather rough manner. "No one but me. Do you understand?" he asked, mocking her like a child. "No one!" he screamed in her face. As he shouted, he grabbed Elisabeth under her arms and lifted her up and pushed her against the wall, allowing them to see eye to eye.

Openly weeping, Elisabeth tried once again to fight off Death, to call for help from anyone, to escape. Seeing her struggle made Death want to put an end to this. Her trembling, crimson lips seemed to beckon him, invite him in. He went in for the kill, like a viper, rage and lust burning in his eyes. He stopped, his lips a mere breath away from her warm, luscious lips. He could feel her hot breath on his face, making the desire to make her eternally his even greater. His breathing began to slow as he took in her scent. She smelled of lilac and vanilla. He looked into her eyes as he focused on her breathing. She was breathing. She was alive. Alive and oh, so beautiful. Death looked away, ashamed. He had come so close to destroying the one thing he truly held dear.

Realizing what he almost did, Death looked back at the almost naked woman he had pinned to the wall. She seemed terrified, almost as if she was expecting him to kill her. Ashamed, he stared into Elisabeth's eyes as if to convey an apology and slowly, he disappeared, causing her to fall to the floor.

Elisabeth lay on the floor in a pile of lace and tears. She cried her heart and soul out. She was so confused. She had been a kiss away from death. From leaving behind the life she had worked so hard to achieve; from leaving Joseph, whom she had become fond of; from Rudy- her dear sweet little boy. She was on the verge of being ripped away from everything she held dear, and yet, at the moment she could feel Death's icy breath on her face, all fear left her. She was not afraid of him. She was ready. She wanted him to kiss her. She had convinced herself that she didn't need Death, that she never loved him and that she had always despised him. But in truth, Elisabeth knew that deep down, she did love him. She didn't know why or how, but she did. And she also knew that in the end Death would win.

Elisabeth lay there, alone, ashamed, and confused. Soon, Elisabeth's tears ran dry and she was finally able to escape from reality into a deep and luckily, dreamless sleep.

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	13. Nothing

**So here we are on Chapter 12!!! Ok, compared to the last chapter this is uber mellow. It is on the shorter side (especially compared to ch. 11- I have a feeling EVERYTHING from here on out is gonna be compared to 11)… I hope you enjoy it!! Again thank you to my readers with your comments, criticisms, and advice- you know I love it!!**

**So I made a timeline of the chappies left and there are only about 6 MAYBE 7 chappies left! What are we gonna do?!?!**

**ENJOY!!**

Chapter 12

Nothing…

The day after her dangerous encounter with Death, Elisabeth made certain that she was never left alone again. Rudy, a friend, an assistant- it didn't matter who. In town, the palace, her bedroom, the forest, the theatre- it didn't matter where. Wherever she went, there was always someone by her side. No one knew why the new President's wife was acting in such a peculiar way, but no one ever questioned her.

Proud as she was, Elisabeth never spoke of her actions. She knew exactly what she was doing. After her final visitation with her Dark Prince, Elisabeth had finally realized that she was dependent on him. Her very life depended on him and whether or not he decided, at that moment, to let her live or die. She had realized it… but she refused to accept it. She would not give Death the satisfaction of her giving in to him.

During this time, Elisabeth also began to take part in the high society protocol of Vienna. She was expected to attend dinner ceremonies, charities, visit schools and hospitals, always being pleasant and beautiful. In public, not a hair could be out of place, a smile was always plastered to her perfect face, and her style was always up to date with the ever changing times. As beautiful as she appeared to the eye, there was a sadness in her eyes that grew with each passing day- a sadness which no one ever took notice of.

She would watch as families played together in the parks- husband and wife laughing as they watched their little boy or little girl playing with the other children. She thought of Rudy and how he had been cheated of his childhood. He never had any friends. He never played. He was never a child. Always a man. Elisabeth would see young girls talking about boys and getting married. She thought of herself at that age- no thoughts of boys or marriage. She wanted to warn the young girls, "Be careful. Do it for Love… nothing else." She would see men and women in love and she would think of Joseph. She had been in love with Joseph many years ago. But she had quickly fallen out of love. And now she loved…

"Ma'am?" a voice whispered to Elisabeth.

Elisabeth turned her head from the car window. She had been staring at the pedestrians, daydreaming. She looked at her assistant with waiting eyes.

"We're here," her assistant said with a smile.

"Thank you," Elisabeth said with a small smile. Another hospital. It had been over a year since her husband had won the Presidency. She had visited countless charities, read books to children at hundreds of schools, and had now begun to visit the countries hospitals. This was the third one she was visiting in the last two weeks and she was slowly growing weary of meeting all the sick and dying. They viewed her as something like a god, and it made her feel nothing short of uncomfortable.

Elisabeth made her way through the automatic doors, her shoes tapping along the floor. As soon as she entered the waiting area, seven children were there to greet her. They had a sign, "Welcome Miss Elisabeth," and flowers for her. After posing with the children for publicity shots, she was able to sit and talk with them. This was the time that she enjoyed. The children were so innocent and seemed to admire her. She never felt needed or loved with Joseph and the others in the palace, so meeting with the children of Vienna made her heart feel light and full of joy. During these times, the smile on her face was not an act but authentic.

After meeting with the children, she was taken to the burn clinic. There she offered words of encouragement to the men, women, and children who were suffering from scarring, burn wounds, and trauma. She felt heartbroken. These people admired her and loved her so much and yet, she could do nothing for them. Nothing but give them a smile and an encouraging word.

After the maternity ward, the Emergency Room, and the ICU, Elisabeth was led to the psychiatric ward. Apparently, there was only one patient there that she was going to see. A young girl about 25 years of age who greatly admired Elisabeth.

"Here we are!" the nurse said, cheerfully, as she motioned Elisabeth into the room.

There sitting in a chair was a woman with wild brown hair. She was dressed in a lovely dress that one would not expect to see on a patient in a hospital- black, sleeveless, slimming. She held a wine glass in her hand which held, what appeared to be water. One may have suspected her for being a normal woman of high society, save for her face. It looked as if a child had applied the make up to her face- bright red circles on her cheeks, bright blue shadow over her eyes, and ruby red lipstick that had escaped beyond her lips. But what was more haunting was her eyes. Her eyes held no life, no laughter, no joy within their orbs. They were empty and stared off into a vacant abyss.

Elisabeth took several steps into the room. She turned to the nurse who had accompanied them and asked:

"What's her name?"

"Oh," the nurse said, suddenly looking uncomfortable. "She tells us her name is-"

"This is ridiculous!"

Elisabeth turned her head to the high pitched voice. The lifeless eyes of the woman before her were boring into her face. The woman looked furious.

"Who does she think she is?!" the woman cried as she stood up and looked at the nurse.

"I'm sorry?" Elisabeth asked as she took a tentative step towards the woman.

"That cannot be the President's wife!" she cried as she threw the contents of her wine glass in Elisabeth's face. Elisabeth's assistant and body guards came forward to rush to her aid. Putting up a hand to stop them from harming the woman, she looked back. "She must be insane!" she cried as the nurses restrained her arms. "I," she said looking straight into Elisabeth's eyes. "Am Elisabeth!"

The nurses, apologizing, began to take the girl away.

"Wait!" Elisabeth cried, taking a step towards the restrained woman. "Let me talk to her."

Elisabeth wanted to know what this woman felt. What she must be thinking. She was "insane" but was it better put that she was free? Elisabeth was scared and confused but at the same time she wanted to know what this woman was thinking. Surely this woman knew that she, Elisabeth, was the President's wife. Not a soul in Austria didn't know her name!

"Look at me," Elisabeth began. The girl, staring blankly into her eyes simply repeating everything she was saying. "Don't you recognize me?" she asked in desperation. Elisabeth walked up to the girl who was still restrained. She knew that this girl knew that she was not Elisabeth, the President's wife. And if she didn't know, well she was about to learn. She hissed at the woman, "I am the President's wife, Elisabeth."

"Liar!" the woman screamed in Elisabeth's face, trying to bite her. "I am the President's wife!" she continued to scream as Elisabeth fell to the floor trying to escape the madwoman. Her bodyguard helped her to her feet, as the crazed woman before them screamed, "Lock her up! She's crazy!"

"Get her out of here!" the nurse cried.

Elisabeth watched with wide eyes as the girl was carried out the door. She stared at the empty doorway, long after the woman had passed through it.

"Oh," she whispered, tears blurring her vision. "I wish I could be like you…"

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"I'm so sorry," the nurse apologized as Elisabeth was walking out of the building. "We had no idea that she-"

"It's alright," Elisabeth said quietly. "Thank her for me."

The nurse looked at Elisabeth, perplexed, and nodded. With a small smile, Elisabeth turned to the street and the open car door waiting for her. As her driver ushered her in, Elisabeth stopped him and said:

"I think I'm going to walk back."

Elisabeth slowly began to walk down the streets back to the palace. She knew she wasn't alone- she could hear her assistant's tiny footsteps several yards behind her. The walk home would be long but that was fine with Elisabeth- she wanted time to think.

How she wished she could be like that woman. In that hospital they only restrained her arms, not her mind. Her hopes, her dreams, her fantasies, her life. Her life was hers to live whether it be as an ordinary woman or Elisabeth, the First Lady. Elisabeth almost laughed to herself. Why would anyone want to be her? She was damned. Cursed. Loved by all, even Death. But she, Elisabeth, hated being who she was. That crazed woman, locked up in a hospital had more freedom than Elisabeth would ever know. She had no say on who she saw, where she went, what she wore, how to spend her time. The life of the President's wife was full of time spent with others- she could never do what she wanted. Elisabeth hated to admit it, but Death had been right. She was so proud of the fact that Joseph had become the President and that she had become the First Lady. But with the triumph came more rules, more laws, more expectations. They were all traps to keep Elisabeth bound tight.

She had fought so hard to win the life she was now living. She had lived for over 30 years now. She hadn't accomplished any goals, seen any dreams come true. After all the suffering and fighting she had done nothing with her life so far. The crazed woman masquerading as her had probably done more with her life than she, Elisabeth, had.

Was the only way to be truly free through madness? It seemed fitting. That woman was as mad as they came and yet her mind and soul were free to do whatever they pleased. Elisabeth was held prisoner by the belief and ethic system that had been branded in her memory. She was afraid to allow herself to succumb to the dark maddening world of insanity. As a result, would she ever be free?

Since she couldn't allow herself to lose her mind she would keep it. She would appear strong to those who needed her and looked up to her. She would be a model for young girls and women to look up to. She would maintain the beauty she knew she had. She would stop fighting the life she had fought to obtain and use it to her advantage. Help the needy. Heal the sick. Feed the hungry.

Elisabeth reached the gate to the palace with a sound mind. Her mind at peace knowing what she would do with what God had given her. She entered the living quarters in the palace and went into the dining hall. She hoped to catch Joseph so she could talk to him about possibly building a mental hospital separated from the hospital so the patients would receive better care. Upon entering the room, Elisabeth saw Rudy sitting alone at the table, finishing his dinner.

"Rudy?" Elisabeth asked. "Where's your father?"

Without looking up from his food he replied, "He said he went out and that he's going to be late so no one should wait up for him."

"Alright," Elisabeth whispered as she turned around and started heading down the hall to her room, her assistant still in tow.

As Elisabeth passed the grand foyer where guests were always greeted at parties, she spotted something on the shelf by the door. Elisabeth walked up in order to see what exactly had caught her eye. A shimmering gold ring.

"Joseph's wedding ring?" Elisabeth said to herself as she picked it up. Elisabeth lightly touched the string of pearls around her neck. She spun around to her assistant. "Make sure the President gets this. He lost it and must be looking everywhere for it."

"Yes ma'am."

Elisabeth turned around and started for her bedroom. With a furrowed brow she thought to herself, 'Where would Joseph be without his wedding ring?'

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	14. A Sickening Reunion

**Lucky number 13!!! This chapter was fun to write. I hope you like it! Thank you to those of you who have kept with this story!! According to my calculations there are only 4 (maybe 5) more chappies to go… What are we gonna do with our free time?!**

**This chappy is one of my favorite parts in the musical- so those of you who saw the show prolly know what's coming. If you didn't… then you're in for a surprise!!! ^_^**

**And sorry for it taking so long to update... I was in a musical and we had dress rehearsals and shows and tonight was our cast party so now I have free time to post!!**

**ENJOY!!**

Chapter 13

A Sickening Reunion

Elisabeth quickly forgot about Joseph and his wedding ring as the following months became more and more busy and hectic. She traveled all throughout Austria for months at a time visiting schools and hospitals, helping with various charities, opening new hospitals. She was seen as the "People's Princess"- always thin and beautiful, charitable, modest, loving, and kind to anyone who crossed her path. She led a virtuous life in the eyes of the public- giving up her time with her husband and son to spend it with the people of Austria- helping men, women, and children, and still having hope in those the world proclaimed to be "insane."

The time she did not spend with the people of Austria in the paparazzi's eye, Elisabeth obsessed over her physical appearance. She felt God had given her such beauty, she should try to make it last. She began to exercise- at first she would walk or run every few days, but as the months and years passed she began to exercise every single day for hours at a time. She had also begun to watch what she ate. At first she cut back in small amounts, but as time passed she began to eat less and less. To the eye, she appeared to be a beautiful, thin woman who looked to be in her twenties, rather than 37, but if one took the time to look into her eyes they would see the truth. For if eyes are the window to the soul then hers would show a weathered, tired one. The loneliness and exhaustion never appeared on her face but it was destroying her on the inside.

In the two years she had spent traveling through the nation, she had been home four times. She had attended Rudy's thirteenth birthday and three other times spent with Joseph. These times seemed to show them that their marriage was still strong. They would enjoy the days together walking through the city or through a forest and their nights together, holding one another after months of being apart.

This was Elisabeth's first visit home in months and she was anxious to see her little boy- or rather, little man of 15. This time was special compared to the others- she was there to stay indefinitely. She had no plans to leave anytime soon and wanted to make the most of her time spent with her family. As Elisabeth looked out the car window, she could see the palace and her heart skipped a beat. She couldn't help but smile. She would be reunited with her husband of over 15 years and little boy.

As she walked up the steps she looked up at the palace, she had forgotten how large it was.

"Hello?" she called out as she opened the door, entering the grand foyer. "I'm home!"

"Hey mom," a deep voice called from up the stairs. Elisabeth looked up to see Rudy standing there. He came down to help her with her bags.

"Oh Rudy," Elisabeth sighed as she wrapped her arms around her son. He was already a head taller than her and still growing, his blonde hair had begun to curl in loose waves. He was a handsome young man who had the stoic air of his father and the beauty of his mother. "Where's your father?"

"Oh," Rudy said as he turned to walk up the stairs to his mother's room. "He went out for the night. He said that he was sorry he couldn't meet you and to not wait up for him."

That night, Elisabeth waited. For hours she sat at the foot of the stairs in her bath robe, staring at the door in the grand foyer. She had promised herself to not become paranoid as the hours passed… 1 o'clock… 2 o'clock… 3 o'clock. Finally at four in the morning, Elisabeth heard the door handle rattle, and Joseph entered the house.

"Sisi!" Joseph said with a smile as he put his hands in his pockets. "What are you doing up so late?"

"I could ask you the same question," Elisabeth said as she stood up and walked over to her husband. "Where were you? It's four o'clock in the morning."

"You've been home for a day and you're already playing the nagging wife role?" Joseph joked, placing a quick kiss on her forehead. He walked passed Elisabeth, leaving her alone in the foyer thinking about what had just passed between them.

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Over the course of several weeks, Elisabeth spent one night alone with Joseph. The rest of the time she spent with her assistant or Rudy outside- in the mountains, the forest, town, shopping. During this time, she also took her eating and exercise to a whole new level. She exercised all day, everyday- weight lifting, dancing, cardio, strength, running. She began to eat less and less until she made herself sick with exhaustion and hunger.

"You!" Elisabeth's assistant screamed upon seeing the collapsed Elisabeth. "Get the doctor!" she motioned to one of Elisabeth's bodyguards. To the other bodyguard, she hissed, "Take the President's wife inside!"

Once Elisabeth was seated in an armchair in the living room of the palace, her assistant placed a cool wet cloth on her head and waited for the doctor to arrive. Elisabeth's eyes fluttered open and she winced from the pain.

"Oh, thank heavens," the woman whispered as she saw Elisabeth open her eyes. The woman stood up and asked, "Are you alright, ma'am? You fell while you were running and cut your knees and hands," she said as she wiped the blood from Elisabeth's knees, as if she were a child incapable of doing it herself.

"I'm fine," Elisabeth said quietly.

"What's the matter?" a deep voice said at the door. Elisabeth raised her eyes to the door where the doctor stood. He must have been new, for Elisabeth didn't recognize him as any of the other doctors the family had had in the past.

"Oh," Elisabeth's assistant said, walking over to the door. "She was exercising outside- running. Anyway she fell down," she turned to look at Elisabeth for a moment and then looked back to the doctor and whispered, "It's no wonder she passed out. She's been so active and she hasn't-"

"You can go," the doctor said to the woman in a short and annoyed voice. The woman, looking insulted, left the room in a huff.

After a moment, the doctor slowly walked over to Elisabeth who was sitting in the chair, still in a daze. As he got closer, Elisabeth stared at him. He was in the usual medical scrub that doctors wore, latex gloves covering his hands and a surgical mask covering most of his face. He stood next to her and placed his hand on her forehead.

"Your forehead is hot."

It must have been true, Elisabeth thought, for when the doctor placed his hand on her brow, it was cool and refreshing.

"There's nothing wrong with me," Elisabeth said quietly, batting the doctor's hand away. "I just haven't-"

"Eaten?" the doctor finished for her. "Yes, I know."

Elisabeth looked up at the man. Even with the mask covering the lower part of his face, Elisabeth felt that he was smiling at her… mocking her.

Kneeling before her, the doctor took hold of her chin and looked into her eyes, searching. Elisabeth waited in silence, to hear his diagnosis.

"Eyelids are white," he noted to himself as he stood up. Elisabeth sighed and closed her eyes, waiting. He walked around Elisabeth and stood behind her. He continued, "If I'm wrong," he paused for a moment, "And I have never been wrong. I would say that this is a loving gift from your husband."

Elisabeth's eyes shot open as she spun around in her chair to look at the doctor. She stared deep into his blue eyes, her mouth hung open in disbelief.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "No, my husband is loyal to me."

The doctor let out a short chuckle. "With all due respect, ma'am, you haven't been home lately and the President is only human. Even a President can be weak when tempted in all the right ways."

"So you're basically telling me that I have an STD?" Elisabeth cracked out, tears blurring her vision.

"Yes," the doctor said, his eyes cold. "Most likely Hepatitis A. Not life threatening, just… unpleasant," he finished, his teeth clenched.

Elisabeth slowly rose from the armchair and began to make her way to the door. Tears brimming along her long, black lashes. She whispered softly to herself:

"I hate him…"

How could this have happened? Granted, over the last two years they hadn't seen each other very often. But she had remained loyal to her husband and she had expected the same from him. But when they were together, Elisabeth worked so hard to make their marriage work, to fall back in love with him. She thought that they had a fighting chance. The night she had found Joseph's wedding ring should have warned her of this but she had tried to erase the suspicious event from her memory.

What had she done wrong? What did she do to deserve this? Had God given up on her? Forgotten her? Cursed her? This was not a life worth living. She had nothing and no one to live for. She had lost all hope… she wanted to die.

"Do it," a cold voice said behind her. Elisabeth froze, a deathly chill enveloping her frail body. Slowly, she turned. Standing before her was a man she had not seen in three long years. The doctor's mask, gloves, and uniform lay discarded on the carpet. Standing in the doctor's place was her der Tod- unchanged and still as beautiful as ever. Donned all in black, his black coat slid along the floor as he reached out a cold, black gloved hand, advancing toward her. "Elisabeth," he whispered, his eyes capturing hers. "I wait for the day."

"You!" Elisabeth cried out as she fled the room. _Why was I so careless? How was I left alone?_ Elisabeth thought as she ran to her room, her injuries and dizziness long forgotten upon seeing her Dark Prince standing before her. Memories of their previous encounter flooded her mind's eye and, suddenly, she began to fear for her life.

She finally reached her room, slammed the door shut behind her and locked the door. Leaning against the door she placed her hand over her heart, her hand brushing the string of pearls around her neck. Looking down, she ripped the necklace off and threw it onto her floor. She turned to lie on her bed but stopped in her tracks.

Death was standing in front of the bed, arms crossed, looking directly into her eyes. Elisabeth froze where she was as Death took long strides until he stood before her. She had lost all control of her body, she hadn't forgotten this horrible feeling and she certainly hadn't missed it. She was trapped- Death before her, the closed door behind her, her body frozen in place.

Death lifted his hands to her face allowing his penetrating icy eyes a clear view of Elisabeth's wide chocolate orbs. Elisabeth held her breath, waiting for whatever was about to come.

"Elisabeth. Oh, Elisabeth," Death said her name as if it were a prayer. He closed his eyes, "I can't stand seeing you like this. Knowing that that man hurt you. Infected you with his disgusting actions. He doesn't deserve…" he stopped. Elisabeth couldn't help but wonder what Death didn't feel Joseph deserved- didn't deserve her; didn't deserve to live? "Why are you fighting so much?" he asked in a hushed voice. He looked back into her eyes, "Stop suffering. Come with me," he whispered, his cool breath dancing on Elisabeth's pale face. He slowly pulled her face closer to his, their lips a breath away from meeting in a deadly kiss.

"No," Elisabeth said, breaking Death's hold. She placed a hand on his lips and pushed him away from her. "I don't want to die. I want to live," she said proudly pushing passed Death. "My husband did me a favor. Now that he has broken his vow, I have no reason to keep mine. I can finally live the life I've always wanted. I can see the world and experience life the way I was meant to. Not chained up and confined to be the President's wife, but as just a woman- just Elisabeth."

She walked to where her strand of pearls lay on the floor and picked them up. She was furious that she had allowed her husband to make a fool of her and ashamed that she had almost succumbed to Death's enticing proposition. Fury written all over her pained face, she spun and threw the pearls at Death. As he easily caught the necklace, Elisabeth screamed:

"Now, get out!"

Death knew in his hand, he held Elisabeth's love for her husband. She had held tight onto the little love and admiration she had had for her husband for years, and now she threw that love away. With that small fact, Death knew that he was one step closer to winning. With a mocking smile, Death turned and walked through the door, leaving Elisabeth broken and, once again, alone.

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	15. Rudolph

**So this chapter has won the award for being the HARDEST thing I have EVER had to write! It includes four songs from the show so it's obnoxiously long (I think length –not word- wise it's the longest). I hope you enjoy it!!**

**So this chappy includes the musical's most popular song (in my opinion)… Die Schatten werden Länger!! It focuses mostly on our little Rudolph.... I hope you like it-- it was HARD!!**

**Again, thanks to those of you who reviewed my last chappy- you know I just LOVE LOVE LOOOOOVE hearing from you!!**

**ENJOY!!**

Chapter 14

Rudolph

The next morning, Elisabeth packed up and left the Hofburg Palace. She did exactly as she claimed she would do- she saw the world. She no longer considered herself to be the President's wife- simply Elisabeth. As a result, she left without her bodyguards. She brought her assistant along, for Elisabeth considered her to be the only person in the world in which she could trust with her life.

And she did, indeed, see the world. She traveled all throughout Europe- from Spain to Norway. She saw parts of Africa in Morocco and Egypt. She even traveled to America.

As always, Elisabeth looked her finest to the public's eye. But her loneliness was devouring her from within. No one was as lonely as she. No one, that is, except possibly her son, Rudolph.

The morning Elisabeth fled, Rudy woke up to find the palace empty as a tomb. He searched for his mother, but the 15 year old boy searched in vain. Her room was empty as it almost always was, the library showed no signs of her, the cook said that she hadn't seen his mother. Rudy found her bodyguards… _They're still here,_ Rudy thought. _She couldn't have gone too far._

What Rudy didn't know was that he would not see his mother again for three long years.

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Rudy spent much of his time alone. The day his mother left, he threw himself into his studies. He continued learning languages, math, science, history, and literature. He also began looking more into politics. His father had won the election for Presidency for a second time quite easily and he was to run again. The public seemed to love Joseph and his beautiful wife and son. But Rudy couldn't help but disapprove of some of his father's ideas and tactics. In his eyes, Joseph was much too conservative for him. Rudy's mind was always reeling with scientific theories, literary motifs, and plans to help change Austria for the better. Before he knew it, he was 18 years old.

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Rudy slammed the door behind him, the sound echoing in the room and in his ears. He let out a growl as he kicked a pile of textbooks out of his way. He walked over to his bathroom and closing the door behind him, he looked into the mirror.

He had grown in the last three years. He was over six feet tall now, with blond, wavy hair. His eyes were the color of chocolate, like his mother's, rather than mud as his father's were.

His father. Rudy couldn't help but hate the man at the moment. He had gone to talk to his father about something- or rather, someone- very dear to him. He had recently met and fallen madly in love with a young, beautiful girl named Marie. He had hoped to ask her to marry him and had gone to his father to ask him for his blessing.

"No."

"What?" Rudy had asked his father, not willing to believe what he had just heard.

"You're not marrying that girl," Joseph said, without even looking up from his work.

"Dad," Rudy pressed. "I'm not asking you for permission, I'm asking for your blessing."

"Well, you won't be receiving either," Joseph said, finally looking up at his son. "We've already decided that you will marry the Hungarian President's daughter, Stephanie, in order to create an alliance with Hungary. Why you would even think that you could marry that girl-"

"'That girl' is the woman that I love and her name is Marie. And I will marry her whether you like it or not!"

"Well, I won't let you."

"Dad!" Rudy shouted, slamming his fist onto Joseph's desk. "This isn't the 19th Century! Arranged marriages don't exist anymore! People marry one another because they're in love!"

"Marriages based off of love never work out in the end," Joseph said through clenched teeth.

"My God! Just because you and mom didn't work doesn't mean that everyone else fails in their marriage, too!" Rudolph said coldly. Furious, he spun around and marched to the door.

"Rudolph!" Joseph yelled after his son, his voice cracking. "Rudolph!"

Sighing, Rudy came back to the present, staring into his eyes. He had called Marie and told her what had happened. He planned on meeting her to talk about what had happened between him and his father. After splashing water on his face, he changed into a pair of khaki shorts, a T-shirt, and sneakers, and headed to the one place her felt at peace- the mountains.

He never drove up to the mountains until his mother left three years prior. He knew she would come to the same place when she wanted to escape from everyday life. _Mom,_ Rudy thought. He had not seen his beautiful mother since he was 15 years old. They had sent each other letters which had given Rudy hope that she would come back one day. She told him of the pyramids in Egypt and the Tour d'Eiffel in Paris. She told him of America and the bustling city of New York. He told his mother of his studies, his plans for the country if he were President. When his Grandma Sophie died, he wrote to her, even though he knew that she would not mourn the loss. He had received a letter from her several days ago mentioning his birthday coming up in a few days. He knew that there would be no celebration. He hoped against all hope that he would wake up and find his mother there, wishing him a "Happy Birthday!"

Rudy brought himself back to reality. He closed his eyes and enjoyed what he had at the moment as he waited for the love of his life to arrive. The sound of birds chirping and the wind blowing through the trees was something he could not have in Vienna. Rudolph had never felt so lost and alone in his life as much as he did today. He had no one- his mother had left him to fend for himself, his father was certainly no father, he was being denied the love of Marie, and he had never had a true friend.

"Don't say that," a voice said from behind him.

Rudolph quickly turned his head. He had expected the high pitched voice of Marie; he expected to see a young girl standing behind him with a child- like smile. But it was certainly not anyone he had expected to see. Standing behind him was someone he had thought to have never truly existed- a friend created in the lack of contact with his mother.

"Tod?" Rudy asked, thinking he must be seeing things.

The blond man smiled. He had not changed in the eight years that had passed. He still wore all black as if he were attending a funeral. Death slowly walked toward Rudy at the mountain's precipice. Rudy could feel his heart beat faster and faster as each footstep brought the man closer to him.

Standing beside him, Death said with a smile, "Rudolph." With a flick of his wrist, Death sent the tail of his coat flying in the wind as he sat beside the young, bewildered man. With a wicked smile he turned to Rudy.

"It's been awhile. Do you remember when you were a little boy? I promised to never leave you. But you stopped talking to me… why? Did you forget about me?" Death asked as he stared into Rudy's eyes.

"No I…" Rudy stumbled over his words. Every time he looked into his dear friend, Tod's, eyes, he seemed to lose all thought. "I never forgot you. I thought you were imaginary. My mother-"

"Ah, yes," Death interrupted. "Your mother would've told you I was imaginary. Or, perhaps, dangerous?"

"No," Rudy said shaking his head. "She never said that you were dangerous. She just asked me to stop seeing you… so I did."

"Ah," Death said with a knowing nod. "I see… It's so easy to obey her. What with her being so beautiful…" his voice drifted off with the wind. "Well, I think it's time to break this silence. Your mother isn't here to stop you."

"No… she's never here…" Rudy said in a whisper.

"Well you seem to need a friend," Death said to the boy. "Here I am."

Unknowingly, Rudy began to reveal to Death all of his deepest, darkest secrets. His love affair with the beautiful Marie Vetsera, his heartbreak after his mother left, his hopes he had for Austria, his hatred towards his father.

Death, in turn, gave his advice he had for Rudolph. It had been years since he had anything to do with Elisabeth and her life and he was enjoying this all too much. He told Rudolph that he should marry the love of his life with or without his father's blessing. He told Rudolph all about his mother- what she was like as a little girl, how she was always stubborn and free willed; Rudy couldn't help but see the admiration in his friend's eyes as he spoke of Rudy's mother. Death even went so far as to hint that Rudolph was a strong young man and his father's health was slowly fading… it would be easy enough to get rid of him.

"I just feel that the world is falling apart all around me," Rudy said, as the sun began to set behind the mountains. "No one seems to feel the same way but I can't help but feel that the end is coming." Rudy looked at the man beside him who was looking at him with a knowing look in his eyes.

"I couldn't agree more," he said with a coy smile. "There is nothing worse than seeing something disastrous heading your way and you are powerless to do anything to stop it."

"It pisses me off!" Rudy yelled, clenching his fists, his knuckle turning white.

"Then do something about it," Death said calmly. "If it makes you so mad, being absolutely powerless, while your father poorly runs the country, then perhaps you should dispose of the undeserving one and rise up and take control. You have ideas, plans- and good ones at that. You have nothing to lose. Change needs to happen in this pathetic world and it can happen with you," he reached out a cold, black hand and held tight onto Rudy's arm. "You could make history."

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Rudy arrived back at Hofburg with his head reeling. He had gone to the mountains in order to meet with Marie- who never came- and to clear his mind and, instead, he was as confused as ever. Discovering that his childhood imaginary friend was anything but imaginary was enough to make one lose their mind. Having that "imaginary friend" sit and talk with you for hours on top of a mountain top sent his mind over the edge. After his afternoon with his dear friend, Tod, the two men went their separate ways.

"It was good seeing you again, Tod," Rudy said with a friendly smile as he shook the man's cold, black gloved hand.

"Oh, you'll be seeing me again in the near future, I'm sure," Death said with a smile. With that, Death turned and disappeared into the night.

Rudy returned home well into the night. He decided to go through the side door, rather than traveling through the grand foyer. He had no desire to see his father and hoped to sneak into his room undiscovered.

He slowly made his way up the carpeted stairs, thanking them for not revealing his presence to those in the palace. He walked down the long hall heading to his room when something caught his eye. It was something he had not seen in three years- light shining from under his mother's door. Unwilling to believe his eyes (for they had held plenty of surprises that day), he slowly approached the door. Leaning his ear against the wooden panel, he closed his eyes and listened for a moment. He could hear movement on the other side of the piece of wood. Taking a breath, he slowly raised his hand and knocked lightly on the door.

Silence.

_Perhaps I imagined it,_ Rudy thought.

Suddenly, the door handle rattled and the door swung open slowly to reveal a sight Rudy had begun to think he would never see again. Elisabeth stood before him in all of her beauty. Rudy stared at her for what seemed an eternity. She was still as beautiful as he had remembered… but she had changed. The years she had spent away had aged her. She did not have that spark of life in her eyes; they were sad and empty. Several wrinkles were making their unwanted appearances around her eyes. She had gained some weight, which was a relief to Rudy. He hated seeing his mother so sick and thin. She looked healthy. Even with all of these changes, Rudy still saw her to be a beautiful angel.

"Mom?" he asked in a deep voice.

She just smiled. He'd grown so much while she had been away. From a little 15 year old boy still getting accustomed to the changes occurring in his body to a handsome young man ready to take on the world and what it brought his way. Elisabeth lifted a single hand and placed it on his cheek.

"Oh Rudy," she whispered, tears in her eyes. Her voice was the sound of an angel to Rudy. He had been surrounded by politics and hate for the last three years and had to face it all alone.

"Mom," Rudy asked, dumbfounded. "What are you doing here?"

She dropped her hand and turned to go back to her vanity, where she had been sitting. Rudy followed her into the room. He saw her assistant standing by the vanity with a hairbrush in her hand. Elisabeth sat back down and her assistant continued to brush her hair.

"Mom?"

Elisabeth sighed as she looked at Rudy in the mirror and said, "I don't know why I came back," she paused. "I received a telegram from your father."

"What? A telegram about what?" Rudy asked as he marched over to where his mother sat. Elisabeth pointed to an envelope laying on her desk across the room. Rudy walked over and opened it. It was about him. Him and Marie. Furious, he was unable to finish it. "Please don't tell me you came here just because of what dad said."

"No," Elisabeth said, shortly. "I came for my own reasons. That was just one of them."

Rudy waited to hear what these reasons were, but soon realized she was not planning on revealing these reasons. He sighed, uncomfortable in the silence. There had never been an awkward moment between them in the past, but now, he felt as if he didn't know what to say to her. Elisabeth broke the silence by saying:

"Tell me about this girl."

"Marie?" Rudy asked, looking back up at his mother. She nodded, a kind look on her face. Suddenly, Rudy felt hopeful. She had always had a way of convincing his father to do whatever she wanted, maybe she could help make this work with him and Marie. "She's wonderful. She's young with long black hair and dark green eyes- like the photos of Ireland you sent me! Her voice is the sound of angels singing. She's beautiful and funny and charming. And she can sing!" he said, his eyes lighting up as he thought more and more about her.

"You seem to really love her," Elisabeth said, solemnly.

"More than life, itself!" Rudolph could tell that this comment bothered his mother.

"Well," Elisabeth said after a moment, "I do feel that we- you, me, your father, and this Marie- need to talk before you jump into a relationship with this girl. I mean, your father and I don't know her-"

What had just happened? Rudy was sure that his mother would support him in his wish to marry Marie. Why was she suddenly sounding more and more like his father? Furious that things had turned out this way, Rudy said:

"Excuse me, mom, but you have no right to claim that you 'don't know' someone. If you had been around for the last three years, you would know her. But no- you've been traipsing around the world doing God knows what!" He threw the telegram to the floor and headed for the door. He paused at the door to look back at his mother. She stared straight ahead, looking at her reflection. She seemed unphased by Rudy's accusations. "I love Marie, mom. And I'm going to marry her, whether you like it or not."

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"Rudy, where are we going?" the girl panted, holding onto Rudy's hand.

Rudy turned and looked at the girl behind him. He had called Marie the day after his reunion with his mother. He told her of a plan he had for them to be together. Since his parents were denying the one thing he wanted in this life, he would take it without them knowing.

The young couple had traveled south of Vienna to the small town of Alland. There, they were married secretly in a small church. The couple could not have been happier together.

One day, they walked from the town to a summer home Rudy's family owned.

"It's a surprise," he whispered as he placed a kiss his bride's nose.

They turned a corner and laying before them was the beautiful home that had been vacant for years.

"It's been in our family for decades," Rudy told Marie. "But we haven't come in years- not since my dad became President."

Hand in hand, the couple walked up to the gates. As Rudy pulled out a key form his pocket, Marie turned her attention to the sign that hung on the gate.

"Mayerling," she read.

With a click and a squeak of the old, rusty gates, Rudy turned to the girl and reaching out his hand asked, "Ready?" Laughing, she placed her small, cool hand in his.

After spending a quiet evening together, Marie asked:

"Rudy? Your parents don't like me, do they?"

Looking at the woman in his arms he said, "I like you," with a smile. "I don't care what my parents think. My father is a fool and doesn't even know what he wants so how could he possibly know what's good for me. Just because he failed miserably with my mom doesn't mean that I'm going to make the same mistakes as he did."

"You love your mom, don't you?" Marie asked softly.

"Yeah," Rudy said quietly. "She meant the world to me growing up. But… " he paused. "I don't know. Something changed once my dad became the President. It happened literally over night. The evening of his inauguration, she was joking and playing with me and the next morning she became distant and started ignoring me and my dad. I never knew why…" he said lost in his thoughts. "I thought that I would never see her again but then she shows up out of the blue and decides to start acting like the responsible parent."

"I'm sure she loves you," Marie said. "Well," she paused looking at Rudy, mischievously. "You know that I'll always love you."

Smiling, Rudy moved in slowly to place a kiss on his bride's lips. Even on their wedding day, Marie had avoided kissing him. She claimed that she was waiting for the "right moment" in which to share their first kiss. To Rudy this was as good a time as any. They were finally together and nothing and no one could stop them.

Suddenly, a blinding light flashed before the front window. The lovers quickly turned to try and see the source. Rudy slowly rose and cautiously walked to the window. Spinning around, he whispered to Marie:

"It's the police!"

"What?" Marie cried.

"Come on!" Rudy grabbed Marie and headed for the basement. "We have to hide. We can't let them find us."

The lovers held onto one another as they silently listened the voices above them. They heard footsteps and furniture moving around above them. Rudy knew his father had sent the police after them. He must have known that he would go to Mayerling and sent the cops there to bring them back.

"Rudolph?"

Rudy looked down at the woman in his arms. She had never called him Rudolph before and it caught him by surprise. He gave her a reassuring squeeze.

"I don't want them to take me away from you," she cried out as tears fell freely down her face.

"They won't find us," he reassured her.

"Yes they will! They'll find us, take us back to Vienna, and I'll never see you again!" Rudy could feel her small form shaking with fear in his arms. "I don't want him to win."

"Who?" Rudy asked, looking at Marie, confused.

"The President. He doesn't want us to be happy! I know it!" Marie cried out hysterically.

"Marie," Rudy said, hushing her. "You're freaking out-"

"No!" she cried. "I would rather die than lose you… If I can't spend the rest of my life with you than I don't want to live it!"

"Marie…"

"Rudolph," Marie said in a shaky voice as she stood up and walked across the room. She picked something small up off a table and slowly turned. A gun. Mayerling was, indeed, a summer house but it was also Joseph's hunting lodge in the winter and held countless guns. "If I am to live my life alone… I would rather die. Do you want your father to win? To separate us for the rest of our lives? I'll die an old maid and you'll marry that Hungarian woman and be miserable for the rest of your life… just like your father!" she paused, looking into Rudy's chocolate brown eyes. She knew that what she said bothered him immensely. "Is that what you want? For me? For you?"

"No," Rudy said quietly.

"Then prove it!" Marie cried. "You don't care what happens to me… you don't love me…"

"Marie, stop! Don't say that…"

"Well, its how I feel!" she said as she knelt before him, the small revolver shining in her hands. "Just think… we can be together forever. Nothing and no one can come between us. Not your mother. Or your father. Politics. War. We can live happily ever after. Do you love me?"

"Yes."

Marie placed the heavy gun in his hand. Guiding his hand, she wrapped her hand on top of his, around the revolver and held it against Rudy's temple.

"Together," she said, smiling.

"Forever," Rudy finished in a hopeful tone.

Marie leaned forward and slowly closed the distance between their lips. Rudy closed his eyes, ready for the end. But the moment her lips touched his, his eyes snapped open. Her lips were cold. As cold as… Death.

Rudy looked into his lover's eyes only to see a pair of ice blue eyes staring back. _Tod,_ Rudy thought. In a panic he tried to break free of Death's cold grasp but it was too late. The trigger had been pulled.

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	16. Rejection

**Soo... it's 2am here but I did NOT want to make you guys wait too long for an update (school starts next week!!)... I know the last chappy was kind of a cliffy. I was originally planning on combining this chappy with 14 but it would've been WAY too long.**

**As you might have guessed, I made Marie, Rudy's lover, our der Tod. A nice twist, eh? I just think that, Death has 1,000 faces; he appears differently to every person. To Elisabeth, he's a handsome young man; to Rudy, he's a beautiful woman. Does that make sense?**

**Thanks to those of you who read and reviewed the last chappy- you know it always means a lot!! **

**Also!! I am beginning work on a new story (since this one is already completed)... not sure if any of you have heard of _REPO: THE GENETIC OPERA _but it is flippin' AWESOME and I HIGHLY recommend it to all of you!! If you like my writing check back in a few weeks for the new story... Now on with our tale!**

**ENJOY!**

Chapter 15

Rejection

Elisabeth sat in Joseph's office, not hearing a word of what the chief of police had to say. The news of Rudy's death came to her and Joseph on the day of his 19th birthday.

"We found his body moments after it happened," the officer said, tentatively. "We had gotten a phone call from a resident in the area saying that they had seen lights on in Mayerling. We knew," he continued, gesturing to Joseph. "That you and your wife were not in town, so we went in to investigate. The house was completely empty. Except for," he paused, obviously uncomfortable. "Your son."

Joseph stood behind his wife who was sitting in his chair. Seeing her shoulders shaking as silent tears fell down her cheeks, he cautiously placed a hand on her shoulder. Surprisingly, she did not reject the physical contact.

_This is all my fault,_ Elisabeth thought silently to herself. _How could I have been so selfish?_

Blinded by her disgust toward her husband, she had forgotten the love she had had for her son. Looking back, she realized that she had always been selfish- she had stolen Joseph from Becky; she went wherever she wanted to, whenever she wanted to; she had made those around her worry about her in her hopes of staying thin and beautiful; she had left Rudy, her little boy, in order to save herself. She had never once paused to think how her actions and decisions would effect those around her. If she had been a good person, a good wife, a good mother, she would have stayed. She wouldn't have let Death and his revelation control her and her decisions. She would've confronted the man she was married to and they would've worked through this obstacle and moved on. She would've been there for Rudy in his times of need, the way a mother should. She would've seen him become a man on his 18th birthday; she would've been there in his times of joy and times of sorrow. She would've been there to watch him fall in love.

Elisabeth brought herself back to her nightmare that was the present. _Marie,_ she thought to herself as she recalled the final conversation she had had with her son. She looked up at the officer.

"What about Marie?" she asked her voice cracking as she choked back a fresh wave of tears. She knew that Rudy and Marie had run off together, what else could've possibly happened?

"Yes," the officer said quietly. He paused for a moment before continuing. "We have official records of your son marrying a girl two days prior to his death," he paused to look at Elisabeth. Even in this tragic moment, she still appeared as beautiful as ever. The officer hoped to find a way to tell her what he knew of her son and his alleged lover. "When we heard the gunshot in the house, we rushed to where the noise had come from- the basement. We found your son with a gun in his hand and a bullet wound to the head. We searched the basement, trying to find this 'Marie,'" he paused for a moment. "There was no sign of her in the house. We began to think that this wasn't a double suicide but a murder. I ordered my men to Vienna to try and have them be there when the girl returned. I, myself, got in this morning and my men had some surprising news for me," he knelt before Elisabeth. "There are no records of Marie Vetsera. She doesn't exist."

After a brief moment of silence that seemed to last for an eternity, Joseph said, shocked:

"But that's impossible!"

Elisabeth's ears didn't hear the rest of the words that passed between the President and Chief of Police. Her mind was busy trying to wrap itself around what this man had just told her. _Marie Vetsera doesn't exist…_ How could that be possible? Rudy had planned on marrying the girl. He had described her to Elisabeth without any difficulties. Elisabeth knew Rudy to be trustworthy and most certainly not insane. He was never a child with much of an imagination and certainly not creative enough to fabricate a woman he claimed to be madly in love with. What was going on? How could an hallucination possibly make her son kill himself?

Elisabeth's head snapped up and her eyes widened with horror as she came to a terrifying realization. It was very possible for an hallucination to convince Rudy to commit suicide. There was someone who was more than capable of such a feat.

_Der Tod._

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**Not wanting to cause any more stir with the publicity, Rudy's death was announced to be a heart problem that led to a tragic and untimely death. The funeral was to be small and intimate with just family and close friends.

Elisabeth did not attend the memorial service. She told Joseph that she needed time to prepare herself to say her final goodbyes. She was to visit the grave later that night, alone. She spent the time prior to her visit to the cemetery in her room.

Her eyes had run dry, she could no longer cry for her little boy. It felt as if she had been here before…

Almost 20 years ago she had lost a child. _No, not lost,_ Elisabeth thought, looking at her tear stained face. _Taken._ Was this simply another punishment? A lesson Death felt that she needed to learn? Did he take Rudy from her to prove that he still had control over her and her life, whether she admitted to it or not?

The night he had informed her of her husband's deceit, cleverly disguised as the doctor, had been the second time he offered her complete freedom and the second time she openly refused him. It was also the last time she saw him for three years. She had always been curious- when Death wasn't harassing her, what was he up to? But now she knew.

For the last three years he had been parading around Vienna, disguised as a beautiful young girl. He had spent three years as Marie Vetsera. Three years with her son, filling his head with ideas, hatred, and lies. He had infected her son, the same as he had done to Elisabeth.

Death had taken her son, the only thing that she had found in this life worth living for. And with Rudy, Death had taken away Elisabeth's will to live.

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Elisabeth slowly walked from the car to the family plot in the cemetery, a place she had not been in 20 years. In the distance, Elisabeth could see that the lone tombstone of Valerie was now standing beside a second one that belonged to her Rudolph. Before she realized it, she was standing before the pair of tombstones- one was old and weathered, the other, was pristine and new.

She knelt before the grave and placed her cheek against the smooth, cold marble.

Here Lies Rudolph Maximillian

Beloved Son of

Elisabeth & Joseph

1986- 2005

"Oh," Elisabeth whispered as a new flood of tears began to blur her vision. "Where are you, my baby?"

She placed her hand on the grave and began to run her finger along his name. 'R… u…d…o…l…p…h…" she mouthed as her fingers ran along the beautiful script. When she reached the end of the letters, she burst, uncontrollably, into a fit of sobs.

"Rudy," she cried between sobs. "I'm so sorry… This is all my fault." She allowed herself some time to cry. She cried her heart and soul out. She cried for Joseph and the love she once had for him, she cried for Rudy and the life he would never live, she cried for herself and the pathetic life she had lived and the life she would be forced to continue living alone.

"I should have never left you alone," she began apologetically. "You were the same as me!" she cried. "We both wanted to escape. I know you were robbed of your childhood. You could never laugh or play. I hated seeing you like that. I know you hated it, too. You didn't have any brothers or sisters, any friends, a father, or…" she paused. Her throat had gotten tight as she choked back her grief. "Or a mother.

"I've always been selfish. Whatever I wanted, I would take. I wanted your father, I got him. I wanted to travel, I did. I wanted a child and… I had one. I suppose I just wanted a child, I didn't want to be a mother. I realize that now… and I am so sorry. I wouldn't be able to do what I wanted if I always had to take care of a baby. But I loved you, Rudy. I really, truly did. I just never knew how to show my love," she paused, trying to find the words to express her sorrow and regret. "But I wouldn't blame you if you hated me. I was never a good person and I certainly wasn't a good mother. I should've been here for you when you needed me. We were both trying to find freedom in our own way. Oh," she paused. "If only I could hug you one last time…" she closed her eyes. "Now," she said solemnly. "We're both alone."

Elisabeth had lost track of time and space. She realized that she should return to the car as the cool night air blew all around her, but she could not tear herself away from Rudy. She let the cool breeze dry her tears. The cool, refreshing breeze slowly turned into a biting chill. Elisabeth's eyes slowly fluttered open to reveal the tails of a familiar black coat.

Elisabeth slowly raised her eyes. They traveled from the tails of the coat blowing in the wind, to a pair of black gloved hands clenched into tight fists, beautiful shoulder length blond hair, and they ended on a pair of penetrating, ice blue eyes.

Elisabeth knew of the term "déjà- vu", she knew it all too well. The cemetery. The loss of a child. The cold night. The broken heart. Death. All separated by twenty years, but so familiar. Looking back, Elisabeth had been furious, hurt, and willing to fight Death. She had been young and stupid and had thrown herself at Death in order to fight for her baby girl. But twenty years had gone by. Twenty long years. And she was tired.

Death stared down his perfectly upturned nose at her. He stood there, waiting. Waiting for her to act. He expected her to lash out irrationally as she had the last time they had met under the same circumstances. He expected her to scream at him, to blame him, to fight him as she had always done.

But the woman who knelt before him was not the free spirited girl she had once been. The years had changed her- she seemed tired and weathered. She appeared to have given up.

"Have you come to laugh at me?"

The hushed voice caused Death to come back to reality with a wicked smile. He realized that she had not given up… she had been defeated. She looked pathetic laying in the dirt, her black dress wrinkled and filthy, her brown hair, windblown, her red blotched face stained with salty tears. His heart wanted to reach out and comfort her, hold her, love her. But his mind told him that he needed to show her that he owned her and her life. He wanted her to feel what he had felt for thirty years. She had one last lesson to learn.

"You've tortured me long enough," the woman continued slowly, her icy glare almost matching Death's. Using the grave for support, she slowly raised herself to her feet, allowing her eyes to be level with Death's. Tears were pooling along her dark lashes, threatening to spill over. "You took my baby girl away from me, you destroyed my marriage with Joseph, you deceived my son and ripped him away from me," she paused as she stared deep into his eyes. "Why?" she whispered softly. "It's me that you want! Why did you feel the need to hurt them? Valerie, I could accept. You had no control over that-"

Death looked away from the woman before him. He had hated having to take the girl from Elisabeth. Back then, he had no choice. But now? Now he had stolen the boy out of spite.

Elisabeth's voice brought him out of his thoughts. "Joseph, too. He deceived me, you didn't. You told me the truth," she closed her eyes and shook her head. "But Rudy?

"Rudy meant everything to me, der Tod. Everything! And you know that. I've been so ashamed of the life that I have lived. Except for Rudy… Rudy was the only thing I was ever proud of. The only thing in this world that I loved. He was the only light in my life. My joy, my love. He gave me a reason to live, der Tod. And you took that away from me!"

She turned away, quickly, to hide her tears. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction in seeing her cry. Wiping dirt from the hem of her dress, she quietly asked:

"Are you trying to kill me?" She slowly returned her eyes to Death's icy stare. He seemed unphased by her accusations. "Der Tod," she whispered his name in a pained voice. "Why are you doing this? I thought that you loved me. You don't do these sorts of things to the person you love…. I would never do this to you…"

For a moment, Death allowed his icy façade to fall. _I would never do this to you…_ What was it that she had meant by that? Could she possibly…

"You know what? You win," Elisabeth said with a pained smile, spreading her arms in a defeated gesture. "You wanted to show me that you control my life. That I have to depend on you. You wanted to torture me and kill me in a slow and painful way? You've succeeded. Congratulations.

"I loved Rudy more than life itself. He was my one love, my one reason to live," a new wave of tears began to fall. "And you took that away!" she cried, pointing a trembling, accusing finger at Death. She turned and covered her face with her hands, ashamed as she burst into a fit of sobs. "Der Tod," she whispered in a small voice. "Please," she said as she turned back to Death, her eyes begging. She was done. Ready to end the power struggle between the two. "Please."

She moved closer to Death, collapsing in his arms. Death's cold, strong arms wrapped around Elisabeth's trembling, frail form. He lowered them to the ground and cradled the sobbing woman against his chest.

"Please!" she cried through a sob. "Der Tod, help me… I want to die."

Death smiled as he heard this. He ran a cold, gloved hand through her hair, shushing her. He rocked her back and forth, comforting the heart broken woman. He wanted to take her, to end her suffering. Both her heart and her spirit were broken. Living would be torturous. Looking at her, she was vulnerable and finally opening up to him. However, he had done the same thing- he had offered her everything and she refused him, hurt him, and left him broken hearted. He wanted her to know what it felt like to be denied the one thing you truly wanted.

Through her chorus of pleas, Death leaned in close to Elisabeth's ear and whispered:

"No,"

Elisabeth's eyes shot open. She tried to pull away to look at him for an explanation, but Death's icy grip held her fast.

"I don't want you," he hissed venomously. "I don't need you."

And with that, Elisabeth felt Death's grip loosen as he disappeared. Elisabeth fell to the ground, lying on top of her son's grave. Horrified, she realized that she had been denied death- the one thing everyone was promised in the end. She wrapped her arms around her legs and curled into a ball. She lay there sobbing, broken, and utterly alone.

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	17. Alone

**Since I want to have this completed before I go back to school on Tuesday, I figured I'd get this one up asap. We're so close to being done, guys! What are we gonna do?!? We only have 3 or 4 more chappies after this! And good news! This is a shorter chappy but I like it… it's sweet and gives us a break from the depressing stuff.**

**I'm prolly gonna update again tonight- so be sure to check back!!**

**This chapter contains something that happened in Takarazuka's production called "Franz Josef's Dream." A similar scene happened in the German version but I liked how Zuka did it a tad bit better....**

**ENJOY!!**

Chapter 16  
Alone

Elisabeth left Hofburg and never looked back. She refused to return to Austria, the memories were too painful for her to bear. With her assistant in tow, Elisabeth fled.

Some say that she was running from growing old and the inevitable coming of death. In truth, she was running from life. She ran from her past and the ghosts in it- her father, her mother, Helen, her sister, Becky, Joseph, Sophie, Valerie, Rudy… Death. Her Dark Prince. What had happened to them? She recalled how kind and loving he had been towards her as a little girl. Now, he seemed to find delight in torturing her. He had tried to destroy her life with Joseph. He was jealous of Joseph and the fact that he had Elisabeth- he had her body, for that was a promise made with marriage. But Elisabeth knew, as well as Death, that her soul belonged to her Dark Prince.

Over the course of three long, painful, lonely years, Elisabeth refused to stay in one place for more than several days. She roamed all throughout Europe, lost and alone. She had built up a life that had been for naught now that everything had been taken from her. She was alone and heart- broken and wanted nothing more than to rest. And during this time something unexpected happened. Elisabeth received a letter as she was checking into the Hôtel du Parc des Eaux-Vives in Switzerland.

Elisabeth looked at the envelope, searching for a return address. How did anyone know where to find her? She opened the letter, silently, and stared down at the signature at the bottom.

"Ma'am?" her assistant asked Elisabeth.

"It's from Joseph," Elisabeth whispered.

Throughout the following year, Elisabeth remained stationary and continued to exchange letters with her husband. It was as if they had forgotten all that had happened to them. They seemed to be starting over. They fabricated a new relationship, one that was different from what they once had. They grew to truly care for one another. It was not a love affair, but a friendship- a very special friendship.

Elisabeth returned from her afternoon walk with her assistant as the sun was setting behind the Alps far in the distance. Pulling her electric key out of her coat pocket, she heard movement from behind the cream colored door. She froze. Could it be Death coming to finally relieve her? To take her away from all of this pain? She quickly slid the key through the sensor, grasped the cold, metal handle, and opened the door.

Silhouetted by the pink and purple light shining off of the vast Lake Geneva through the window stood a man. A man of once great stature now hunched over, no doubt tired. Elisabeth flipped the light switch to reveal the man's identity. Slowly, he turned to lock a pair of old, sad, brown eyes on Elisabeth. Joseph.

He was well into his fifties and certainly looked it. His once chestnut brown hair was now snow white. His once somewhat handsome face was weathered and wrinkled. He carried a cane by his side as he appeared to have a bad knee. The years after Rudy's death had not been kind to him. To either of them, for that matter.

"Elisabeth," he said, breaking the deep silence between the two.

"Alexa," Elisabeth turned her head to the side. With a smile, she said to her assistant, "Could you give us a few minutes?"

As Alexa closed the door behind her, Elisabeth turned to look back at her husband, a man whom she had not seen in four years.

"Are you surprised to see me?" he asked as if apologizing for being there.

"No," closing her eyes, Elisabeth slowly shook her head. "I knew you would come eventually."

The distance between them was great- both physically and emotionally. Joseph moved slowly with his cane as he tried to close the gap between them.

"Come home, Sisi," he said softly, reaching out a hand towards his wife.

Elisabeth smiled. It had been years since he had called her that in such a loving way. Looking from his outstretched hand to his pleading eyes, Elisabeth asked:

"Why did you come, Joseph?"

Looking about the spacious room, Joseph slowly sat down on a floral patterned chair with a sigh. Elisabeth sat across the coffee table in a matching armchair. After a brief moment of silence, Joseph said:

"Last night I had a dream," he looked into his wife's beautiful chocolate brown eyes. "A dream about you."

"Me?" Elisabeth asked with a furrowed brow. Surely a mere dream would not have him travel from Vienna to Geneva in a single day?

"Yes. A man was in it as well."

"A man?" Elisabeth asked, her head snapping up to look at Joseph.

"Yes," Joseph said, surprised by his wife's sudden interest. "I couldn't describe him to you. I only saw his eyes. They were the bluest eyes I've ever seen! He said," he stopped as his wife placed her hand over her heart and whispered something to herself. "He said that I was his rival or… or his … enemy. He claimed that he loved you, not me. Could you believe it?" he said with a nervous laugh. "And he said that I would lose you. It made me worried and so I came to see how you were." He reached across the petit table and took a hold of Elisabeth's small hand.

"Come home, Sisi. We belong together," he sighed as he looked up into her eyes. "I love you… And love can overcome everything."

Elisabeth smiled sadly and slowly shook her head. "Love can do many things, Joseph. But I'm afraid it cannot do that," she took a deep, calming breath. "We've tried so hard time and again to make this work… but we're so different. We both have our own dreams and we belong in different worlds. You've always been a part of high society and politics. Me… I've never belonged there and we both know that. I belong out in the world, running through a field bare foot or swimming in the ocean. It has nothing to do with what either of us has done. We've both made horrible mistakes but that's not what separated us. It was… fate, I suppose. We're not the only people on Earth who's marriage didn't work out the way they do in fairy tales. We were once in love. Can't that be enough for the both of us?"

"Elisabeth, I love you," Joseph said softly.

"Joseph," she said with a kind smile. "We both know that it's just not meant to be."

Joseph smiled sadly, but nodded in acceptance. "Well then," he said as he slowly stood. "I'll be going. I just wanted to see you. I've missed you, Sisi. "

"Me too," Elisabeth said warmly as she accompanied her husband to the door. As Joseph opened the door, she caught his arm and said, "Let's try to forget the past, Joseph. May we part as very dear friends?"

The couple embraced one another, something they had not done in years. Joseph whispered softly in Elisabeth's ear, "The very best of friends."

With a final smile, Joseph was gone and, once again, Elisabeth was alone.

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	18. The Promise

**So I realized that if after this there was only two chappies left it would be 19 all together and that's just not a good round number. So I've decided to split the next chappy into two so we will have more time together and my OCD can be at peace.**

**Also... this chappy is pretty short so there'll be another one up tonight... I would be pretty pissed if I were you and I just got a chappy of about 1,100 words!!  
**

**ENJOY!**

Chapter 17

The Promise

Luigi Lucheni sat at a table in a small café in his home town in Italy. He was no longer a boy, but a man- a man fighting for change. He had been seen as an anarchist, fighting against his city's government. But he did not consider himself to be an anarchist, but rather, a revolutionary. His city's government was corrupt and the people of the city were suffering because of it. He wanted to bring about change- a change for the better. He looked at the neighboring country of Austria and desired the success, freedom, and happiness the citizens seemed to have under the President.

President Joseph and his wife… Elisabeth.

Luigi smiled. It had been years since he had spoken to the beautiful woman at the President's rally in Lienz, but he had never stopped thinking of her. She was so kind and beautiful but had had such a tragic life. He had read of her son's death and her wandering around Europe for the last four years. He wondered what was going on inside her head. He wanted to reach out to her in her times of loneliness and need. He wanted to help her.

Finished with his coffee, Luigi stood up, left a euro on the table, and began the short walk back to his cramped flat. He looked at his feet as he slowly walked along the cobblestone street, the cold night air burning in his lungs. He walked up three flights of stairs and pulled his keys out from his pocket.

"Hello Lucheni," a cold voice said from behind him.

Dropping his keys, Luigi spun around raising his fists, ready for a fight. He was used to thugs coming around in order to harass or intimidate him. However, this person was different from the burly, dirty, dark haired, dark skinned men in jeans and filthy T shirts. He had a regal and commanding presence that would cause anyone to stand back in awe. He was tall and lean with golden blond hair that fell to just above his shoulders. He was dressed from head to toe in black, complete with an extravagant black coat that fell to the floor and theatrical black gloves. But what caused Luigi to lower his fists and stand transfixed, were the man's eyes. They were the bluest orbs he had ever seen- bluer than the sky on a spring day, bluer than the Mediterranean after a storm. They were as blue as ice and equally cold.

"Do I know you?" Luigi asked. He would've remembered seeing someone like this walking around town.

"Not yet. But I have a feeling we'll get to know each other rather well."

"How the hell do you know my name?"

"I know much more than that, Lucheni," the man said with a cold smile. "May I come in? I have something I need to discuss with you."

The young Italian slowly bent down to retrieve his keys, never taking his eyes off of the blond. He silently opened the door to his apartment and beckoned the stranger in.

"Do you want anything? Coke? A beer?"

The man smiled. "No."

After retrieving a beer for himself, Luigi sat in his armchair and motioned for his guest to sit as well. The man gracefully sat across from Luigi on his beige, worn out couch. Luigi had to laugh- the man looked out of place in his apartment. Like a prince among paupers.

"What is it you want to talk about?" Luigi asked as he took a quick sip from his beer.

"I need your help."

"Really? Do I know you?" Luigi asked, skeptically.

"I am der Tod. You may know me as la Morte or rather… Death."

Luigi looked at the man sitting before him, looked to his beer bottle and back again. He slowly put the bottle down and pushed it away.

"Um…" Luigi said, coughing into his hand. "Is this supposed to be a joke or something?"

"I don't joke," the man said shortly.

"So you're saying you're Death and you're expecting me to believe that?"

"Yes."

Luigi burst into peals of nervous laughter as he jumped up from the chair and began to pace. Who did this guy think he was? Was he trying to make a fool of Luigi? Intimidate him?

"You're Death, huh?"

"Yes," he said with a nod.

"Prove it. Tell me something about me that no one could possibly know."

"I know that you met the President of Austria and his wife over ten years ago…"

"Anyone could know that," Luigi objected.

"…And that you promised to do anything to make her happy. That is why I am here."

Luigi stood in the middle of his apartment, eyes and mouth wide open. He had never told anyone that. What was going on? Who was this guy?

"How do you know that?" he asked as he sat back down, staring at the man in wonder.

The man claiming to be Death simply stared at him with a confident, cold smile.

"You know about Elisabeth?" the young man asked Death.

"I know all about Elisabeth," Death said. "And she needs your help."

"Me?" Luigi asked, surprised. "What's wrong with her?"

"Well, you made a promise to her didn't you? You promised that if she ever needed anything, you would be there to help. You promised to help her be happy, no matter what. Well, she is unhappy, Lucheni. She is in pain and she needs your help."

Luigi looked down at Death's hand. His black glove held a small revolver. Luigi's eyes widened as he realized what Death was asking him to do. Luigi locked eyes with Death's penetrating stare. With a smile Death said:

"You know what to do."

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	19. The Beginning

**So I took a few days to write this chappy trying to get it PERFECT!!! I like how it turned out. We're so close to being done... So sad… So I'm not gonna talk too much so you can get on to reading.**

**I might actually just finish uploading it all today... We'll see....  
**

**ENJOY!!**

Chapter 18

The Beginning

The day following Elisabeth's unexpected reunion with Joseph was a day like any other. Elisabeth awoke with the sun- something she had never done before. She stood by the window, looking out on Geneva's beautiful lake. Elisabeth was captivated by its beauty, until she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the window. Despite her efforts to remain young and beautiful, time had had other plans. Her hair which once had a wild mind of its own had now lost its life. Her vibrant color had sprinklings of gray and the curls had lost most of their bounce. Her once perfect, porcelain skin was now filled with weathered wrinkles that showed those around her, her sad and tragic history. But the biggest change was her eyes. The eyes that were once the portal to a mischievous, spirited soul were now windows to a sad, empty, and dying one. She was an empty shell, just waiting for her time to run out.

"Oh, you're awake."

Elisabeth turned away from her reflection and stared at Alexa.

"Do you want me to call down for breakfast?"

"No," Elisabeth said with a smile. "Let's go out and see the city, Alexa."

Elisabeth had felt it- a change in the air... Perhaps the wind had changed direction or the Earth had tilted a bit more on its axis. Either way, Elisabeth felt that something was going to happen today. The beginning of something new.

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Elisabeth spent the day with Alexa as they traveled throughout the city. They visited Le Jet d'Eau, the world's largest water fountain. They walked through the grand gardens of the Promenade des Bastions. They ate lunch on top of Le Salève, a beautiful mountain that dominates Geneva's sky. They spent the afternoon walking along the bank of Lake Geneva. As they walked along the right bank, Elisabeth stopped at the beautifully ornate Monument Brunswick.

"Did you know," Elisabeth asked Alexa. "That this is actually a tomb?"

"Really?"

"Yes. Charles II, the Duke of Brunswick spent the last three years of his life here in Geneva. When he died in 1823, he left his entire fortune to the city of Geneva," she took in a deep breath of the fresh air and looked around her at the beautiful, vast lake and mountainous scenery. "If I had any say in where I would breathe my last breath, this would be it."

"Elisabeth," Alexa scolded softly.

"You don't agree?" Elisabeth asked, raising her brow.

"I try not to think of such morbid things as death and where I want to die."

"Well it's something that can't be avoided," Elisabeth said quietly. After a deep silence, Elisabeth asked her friend quietly, "What do you think happens to you after you die?"

"Well," Alexa said. "I was raised in a Christian family, so I suppose you go to Heaven after you die." She stopped to look at Elisabeth. "Do you not believe that?"

"I was raised to believe that as well. And I did once… a very long time ago," she said as she stared out at the lake. "But I've seen too much to think that I'll end up at the Pearly Gates."

"Ma'am," Alexa protested. "You can't possibly think that you're going to go to Hell!"

"What if Heaven and Hell weren't the only two options after you die? What if there's a third possibility?" Elisabeth asked, pensively.

"Well," Alexa answered thoughtfully. "Anything is possible. The Bible speaks of Heaven and Hell and I believe that that's all humans need to know about. But I suppose there are other possibilities that we weren't supposed to know. God didn't tell us because we weren't meant to know." Alexa laughed as she came out of her philosophical state of mind. "I'm sorry… I'm rambling! Forget what I said."

"So," Elisabeth said to herself, deep in her own thoughts. "Am I the only one who knows about you?"

"Miss Elisabeth," Alexa said, pulling Elisabeth back to reality. "It's getting late. We should probably start heading back to the hotel."

"Yes," Elisabeth replied. "Yes, of course."

The two women quickly turned to head back to the hotel when a young man bumped into Elisabeth, throwing her off balance. The young man quickly steadied the woman and cried,

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going… Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Elisabeth said as she brushed the man away. She turned to continue on her way when the young man caught her by the sleeve, stopping her in her tracks. Elisabeth shot a glare at the stranger who was continuing to act similar to a cockroach- not leaving her alone. She tried to turn away again as the man asked:

"Elisabeth?"

"Yes?" Elisabeth answered cautiously. She had learned to despise the paparazzi and reporters ever since Rudy's passing, but there was something different about this man. He was clearly Italian and yet he spoke perfect German to her in a French speaking country. She stared at him, long and hard. There was something so familiar in his eyes…

"Luigi?" Elisabeth asked, shocked.

The man smiled a wide toothy grin and ran his hand through his curly, black hair. How he had grown! Once an awkward teenage boy now a handsome, charming young man.

"How are you, Luigi?" she asked, genuinely interested in the boy's welfare.

"I'm good," he said, nodding. "I'm here on business."

"That's wonderful!" Elisabeth smiled.

"Yes," Luigi said as his nods slowed. "How are you? I heard about your son. I'm so sorry."

"Yes, well," Elisabeth said quickly, before her emotions could kick in. "It's a part of life, I suppose. Death."

"Are you alright?" Luigi asked her in a concerned voice.

Elisabeth shrugged her shoulders and sighed, "I'm surviving."

Luigi smiled sadly. The pain in her eyes was undeniable. She no longer hid herself behind a façade of false emotions. She had no need to. She was no longer in the public's ever watching eye. She was merely a woman trying to live her life from day to day. A woman with pains and worries, just like everyone else.

"But don't worry about me," Elisabeth said with a small smile. She gave Luigi's arm a reassuring squeeze. "Good luck on your business trip. I'm sure you'll be great."

"Thanks," he said softly as Elisabeth turned to walk away. After several footsteps, Luigi called out, "Elisabeth!"

Elisabeth turned to look back at Luigi and froze in fear. Standing before her was no longer the kind little boy she had befriended years ago but a crazed man with a gun. A gun pointed at her.

Three things happened simultaneously. Three men who happened to be passing by, ran up to the crazed man trying to stop what was inevitably about to occur. Luigi fired his gun. Elisabeth smiled.

The single shot that was supposed to pierce Elisabeth's heart in a quick and painless death had been skewed by the three men moving Luigi away. Instead, Elisabeth was shot in the stomach.

Elisabeth fell to the pavement as she writhed in excruciating pain. Her vision began to blur as the pain grew more and more unbearable. She found it hard to breathe- as if a thousand tiny daggers penetrated her lungs every time she drew in a quick breath. She could hear shouting far off in the distance.

"Someone call an ambulance! Someone's been shot!"

"It's Elisabeth!"

"The Austrian President's wife?"

Elisabeth slowly looked around her. A small crowd had formed. Some people were on their cell phones- calling for help- others were crying. She looked to her right to see Luigi being restrained by three large men. He had dropped his weapon and was kneeling on the ground, staring into her eyes. Elisabeth averted her eyes from Luigi's to look up at Alexa, her assistant and dear friend for so many years. She was crying, holding Elisabeth's head in her lap. Elisabeth could see Alexa's hands were covered in something. Blood.

Elisabeth placed her hand where the pain was growing from at a terrifying speed. She winced as her fingers made contact with the wound. Elisabeth slowly raised her trembling fingers up to her line of vision to see them covered in deep red blood. Her blood.

"Oh God," Elisabeth cried out in fear. She shut her eyes, tight, as the waves of pain became unbearable. It burned. She felt as if her entire body was on fire. She felt as she had all those years ago when she was hit by that car. Only this time, Death was not there to relieve the pain. There were no icy kisses or cold hands to make the pain go away. She was alone in this.

_No. I'm not alone,_ Elisabeth thought as she reached out her hand to Alexa, who held on for dear life.

"Everything's going to be alright," Alexa said with a reassuring smile. But Elisabeth knew the truth. This was it. This was the beginning of the end.

Medics arrived on the scene and carefully transported her on a stretcher to the ambulance. As the sirens screeched and the vehicle sped to the hospital, Elisabeth looked around her in fear. She was surrounded by strangers. Would she die like this? Alone? Always alone?

"Oh," Elisabeth cried softly as a single tear fell down the side of her face. "What's happened to me?"

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	20. The Truth

**Chapter 19!!! Sorry I left you with such a cliffy (not like you had to wait long...) And FYI: Elisabeth's last words in real life were (supposedly), "What's happened to me." So I wanted to incorporate that into this story- I hope you spotted it. Tho I'm pretty sure most of you are as big fans of Elisabeth as I am so I don't really have to explain this... ANYWAY!! The final chappy is written up and boy is it good! But enough about that- we'll cross that bridge when it comes to us… This is a short chappy but I'll def. have the final chapter up right after!! NO MORE WAITING!!!!**

**NOTE: _italics _are the dialogue in the flashback  
**

**ENJOY!!**

Chapter 19

The Truth

The officer stared at Luigi Lucheni as he finished his story. He had told the officer all about Elisabeth and her love affair with Death. If the officer had not seen the beautiful blond claiming to be Death with his own eyes, he would've thought the young Italian was insane. He had just listened to the last 35 years of this woman's life- a story filled with things that no one could possibly know.

"How do you know all of this?" he asked questioningly.

"Death told me," the man said. "After Death showed me the gun he went on to explain everything. He told me all about Elisabeth's life and the fact that she had been in love with him ever since she was a little girl. When she was twenty, she married a man whom she did not love. After that, her life spiraled downhill and she is now wandering around Europe, just waiting for her time to run out.

"_If you're Death, why don't you do it?_ I asked him, still trying to wrap my brain around what I had just been told.

"For a moment, his cold, stone features softened. He said quietly (more so to himself than me, I think), _I can't._

"I looked at him. _But you're Death! Isn't it your job to kill her?_

"_I've tried,_ he said as he looked into my eyes. _I've tried time and again. I tried when she was a little girl; I tried when she was grown. But I can't bring myself to take her life. It's far too precious._

"I suppose he realized that he had shared more than he had intended, so he quickly ended the conversation. As he stood up to leave he said:

_"Make sure she doesn't feel it. She is not to feel any pain. She can't be made to suffer again. Pierce her through the heart. Do you understand?_

"I simply nodded as Death walked through the door and left. I just stood there," he paused as he looked to the officer. "I'm sure you understand how I felt."

The officer looked at the handcuffed man. He was not going to give this crazed man the satisfaction of admitting that he, too, had surely lost his mind.

There was a knock at the metal door that caused the officer to look away from Luigi. He slowly walked to the door, not turning his back on the young assassin. A man was at the door with a cell phone in his hand which he held out to the officer.

"Hello?" he asked into the small device. "She is? Good. Thank you," he handed the phone back to the fellow officer, shut the door, and returned to the table in the middle of the room.

"Elisabeth just arrived at the hospital," he said, looking at Luigi's unchanged face. "God dammit man, she's dying!"

"Yes?" Luigi asked, questioning the point of the obvious statement made by the officer.

"Do you not understand that you killed her? This woman whom you admired so much and wanted to make happy."

"Haven't you been listening?" the Italian asked. "I didn't kill her. I am helping her find happiness."

"How so, exactly?" the officer spat.

"She's been depressed for years. She has begged for this. She's too scared to commit suicide. Death can't kill her because he's madly in love with her. It's a tragic catch-22. That's where I come in. I am allowing the two star crossed lovers to live 'happily ever after,'" he finish with a manic giggle.

"This isn't funny, Lucheni. She's dying! She only has a few minutes left to live!"

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	21. Running

**Here it is- the final installment of our story. I hope you like this. I told you that you wouldn't have to wait long to read the finale!! I just want to say THANK YOU. Thank you to those of you who have stuck with me on this wonderful journey (even if the story didn't go the way you wanted it to at times). For those of you who stayed with me through thick and thin… thank you. To those of you who didn't know of Elisabeth before this, I hope I intrigued you and have sparked a curiosity- please investigate more into Elisabeth and Death's tragic tale. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for staying with me for two months now… Again whether you liked it, you didn't, you like the Japanese, or German versions, thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU FOR READING!**

**Be sure to check out my other stories! A _Repo!: the Genetic Opera _fanfic is in the works!!  
**

****HUGS!!****

**And for the last time....  
**

**ENJOY!!**

Chapter 20

Running

Elisabeth placed her cool, pale hand on top of her warm, wet midsection. She was so cold and the dark, sticky blood was so warm. She had grown numb from the pain, all she could feel was a small throbbing- as if the bullet had its own heartbeat, its own life… stealing her own. She opened her eyes to stare at the fluorescent lights zoom by overhead as the nurses hastily rushed her to the emergency room. She could hear muffled screams and orders.

"Call the surgeon! He needs to get down here now!"

"Has anyone told her husband yet?"

"Help me stop the blood flow, quick!"

Elisabeth felt two pairs of hands move hers from the warmth in her belly as she was wheeled into a private room. As the hands worked around Elisabeth's wound, a new wave of nauseating pain swept over her shivering body. A cry escaped her lips as the pain traveled from her midsection to all throughout her small body. Her frail, white form writhed in pain as Elisabeth tried to fight it off.

"Someone get her morphine!" one of the nurses standing beside Elisabeth cried.

"It's too late. The morphine won't be able to stop this," the doctor said. There was a flash of light and a burst of exclamations. Everyone in the room turned to see the cause of the flash. In the room were seven photographers and reporters, snapping pictures. _**The World's Most Beautiful Woman: Shot**_- not a bad headline for the morning newspapers. "Get them out of here!" the doctor shouted thunderously.

Wincing from the pain, Elisabeth drew in a quick, sharp breath. The room was filled with doctors and nurses yelling orders, several police officers had arrived to control the photographers, and Alexa was sitting in the corner out of the way, crying. But Elisabeth ignored all of this.

The horrible pain forced her to reflect on the last 35 years of her life. She hadn't accomplished any of her goals; she hadn't realized any of her dreams. Both of her children had died before their time. She had estranged herself from her mother, sister, and husband. She hadn't done anything that she was truly proud of. And for the last five years, she had been running from the only thing in her life she had left to live for. Love.

"Oh," Elisabeth cried out in a hushed whisper, a single tear escaping from her closed eyes. "What's happened…" She had given up her life. She had let others live her life for her. What had she done to herself?

Feeling a pair of eyes on her, Elisabeth slowly opened her eyes. There, standing in the doorway among the chaos in the room was her beautiful Prince. He was no longer enveloped in darkness- but rather, he was surrounded by a warm light. He no longer donned his long, black coat and black gloves, but was dressed all in white, looking like an angel to Elisabeth.

He stared at her- not in the harsh, piercing way he had always bore into her soul, but lovingly and inviting. He raised a bare hand to her, beckoning- beckoning her to leave everything behind- all the hurt, the pain, the hate, the suffering. Elisabeth sighed as she slowly stood up and stared into Death's beautiful, blue eyes. She was tired. Tired of the pain. Tired of the hurt. Tired of running- running from the only one she loved.

Crying out, she ran like a lost child into Death's open arms. She wrapped her thin arms around his chest. Hesitantly, Death slowly wrapped his arms around her small, trembling form. Could this be true? Death smiled as he realized it was indeed. Elisabeth was in his arms, embracing him. She was not afraid or fighting- she had come to him willingly… in love. He tightened his grip on her and enveloped her in a long overdue embrace. Elisabeth. His Elisabeth.

As the two pulled back to look at one another, Elisabeth caught a glimpse of herself in the window of the door. She gasped. What she saw was not the reflection she had seen that morning. Her hair had grown into wild curls and was, once again, a deep brown. Her skin was pale and smooth as it had once been. Her eyes. Her chocolate brown eyes were bright and alive once again. She looked as she had on her wedding day, 25 years ago.

She lifted a pale hand to her cheek, unable to believe her eyes. As her finger touched her cold skin, she raised her eyes to see Death's reflection standing behind her. He was more beautiful than she had remembered. His blond hair looked as if gold had been woven into beautiful, shining thread as it shone in the light, his perfect upturned nose, he was tall and lean but the shirt he wore made it known that he was strong, and his eyes were no longer icy and cold but a beautiful blue like a warm spring day.

The two locked eyes in the window. Death slowly ran a cool hand through Elisabeth's hair and placed it softly on her cheek. Wanting to know that it wasn't a dream, Elisabeth slowly turned to her Prince.

"Der Tod…" Elisabeth said, barely above a whisper.

Death quietly shushed her, placing a single, cool finger on her lips. Elisabeth's vision grew blurry as she realized that this wasn't a dream. She was here, with her Prince, the pain had gone. She smiled as she threw her arms around Death's neck. He wrapped his arms around her small waist, running his hand up and down her back.

Death pulled away from the woman in his arms and held her face in his hands. His eyes traveled along her soft features. He took pleasure in finally being able to touch her. Finally, after 35 long years. When he was finished taking in Elisabeth and all her beauty, he raised his eyes to her chocolate brown orbs.

Slowly, Death moved closer and closer to Elisabeth. His hands gently held her as he slowly closed the distance between their lips. He looked into her eyes, searching for a sign of her thoughts. He saw no fear as he had years ago, only joy. With this reassurance, he confidently placed his cool lips upon hers.

Elisabeth's body went rigid the instant her lips touched Death's. She felt hot and cold at the same time. A hot electric current seemed to fly throughout her body. It shot right down to her feet and made the hair on her arms stand up. Quickly following the shock came a cool tingling sensation throughout her body. Elisabeth had never felt such an intoxicating sensation. She had longed for this for so long but had never known how to ask for it. She shivered as Death tangled his fingers through her brown locks. The lovers wrapped their arms around each other in a passionate embrace, making up for lost time. Elisabeth's lips felt cold as they pressed against Death's. With a shiver, the lovers pulled out of their passionate declaration of love and stared deep into each other's eyes.

Shouts and cries pulled Elisabeth out of her beautiful dream. She reluctantly turned away from her beautiful Prince's warm and loving eyes to return to face the chaos in the hospital room.

"She's not breathing!"

"Her heart's stopped! Someone, quick!"

Through the hubbub, Elisabeth's eyes locked on someone's eyes whom she had never truly seen before. Herself. Lying on the hospital bed was Elisabeth- or rather, her motionless, lifeless body. She was old and withered, sad, and covered in blood. Elisabeth looked at the empty body for a brief moment.

A cool hand slowly intertwined with hers. He wrapped his fingers around Elisabeth's small fingers, holding them in a strong, protective embrace.

Elisabeth looked from her hand up to the eyes of her Prince. Death raised a cool hand and placed it on her smooth, pale cheek. His eyes were inviting and he said with a small smile ever so lovingly:

"Elisabeth…"

With that, he slowly led Elisabeth away. Away from hurt. Away from sorrow. Away from all the pains of the world. He led her to his Kingdom where he would take care of her, protect her, and love her for all eternity. For as long as the sky is blue. As long as water runs downhill. As long as the stars illuminate the heavens.

Many may pity the beautiful woman named Elisabeth. The young woman who had such a tragic life- a distant father, marriage at a young, vulnerable age, two children dead, an unhappy marriage, an affair, a murder. Many may stare at the Austrian beauty's grave in despair:

**_Elisabeth Amalie_**

**_Wife, Mother, Lover_**

**_1964-2009_**

Many may pause to look at the engraving on the tombstone. 2009. Such an untimely death. Such a young woman- only 45 years old. Murdered no less. She had always wanted a fairy tale and she died before she could ever achieve it.

While many may pity the tragic Elisabeth- don't. Yes, she had a tragic life full of pain and sorrow. But what many do not know is that Elisabeth's tragic tale did end on that sunny day in Geneva. But her fairy tale, her happily ever after, had only begun.

**Finis**

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